Opportunities in Floriculture 



By Arno H 



The development of floriculture in the L'nited States 

 dates back to the eighteenth century. About that time 

 the wealthier citizens of Boston, I'h'iladelphia and Xew 

 York began to cultivate large gardens arountl their resi- 

 dences, usually arranged in terraces after the English style 

 of that period. The revolutionary war stopped further 

 progress in floriculture or gardening until the country 

 became more settled under the new government. The 

 actual development began from that time on and the prog- 

 ress has been remarkable. In no phase of horticulture 

 have the advances been as great as in floriculture. 



The growth of the cut-flower industry the past twent}-- 

 five }ears has been phenomenal. The past decade has 

 also witnessed great advances in the production of orna- 

 mental plants, in fact the growing of flowers and plants 

 under glass, which was originally a luxury of the wealth)-, 

 has developed into a profession which is one of the most 

 important phases of horticultural work. In the earlier 

 days of the cut flower industry, European methods of 

 culture were in vogue. The few roses and carnations that 

 were grown, were grown mostly in pots, the greenhouses 

 of those days being very primitive. In the character of 

 the greenhouses devoted to the cultivation of cut-flowers 

 and plants there has also been a wonderful advancement 

 the past twenty-five years. Twenty-five years ago 11-foot 

 houses, covered with sash and heated by hot air flues were 

 considered quite the thing. Then came houses 18 to 20 

 feet in width, then the house from 30 to 60 feet in width, 

 and today we find a number of houses from 100 to 172 

 feet in width and 1,000 feet long. The methods of con- 

 struction and heating have, of course, also been improved. 

 And in speaking of advancement we must not overlook 

 the wonderful development that has occurred in our prin- 

 cipal commercial crops. Carnations for instance have 

 been increased in size from the size of a half dollar to 

 approximately four inches. One of the most phenomenal 

 improvements that have been made in any flower has been 

 made in the chrysanthemum, which has been developed 

 to such an extent that one who knew it twenty-five or 

 thirty years ago would not recognize the immense blooms 

 of today. 



According to the 1910 census reports there were 11,614 

 establishments with a combined glass area of 105.1').S,730 

 square feet, or more than 3,217 acres, in the United States. 

 This does not include the area covered with hotbeds and 

 cold frames which at that time amounted to approximately 

 150 acres or 9,489,546 square feet. These census figures 

 give Illinois the largest glass area, namely, 14,380,927 

 square feet, or over .530 acres. New York conies second, 

 with over 13.000.000 square feet; Pennsylvania third, 

 with over 12,000,000 square feet; Xew Jersey and Massa- 

 chusetts follow in the order named. This acreage seems 

 rather small when we compare it with some of our farms. 

 One must keep in mind, however, that returns from a 

 farm ranging from $50 to $150 mean big ]jrofits. ( )n 

 the other hand an acre under glass must bring from 

 $15,000 to $20,000 to make the investment a ]M-ofitable 

 one. These returns are necessary, of course, not only 

 because of the larger amount of caoital invested, but also 

 to the much greater cost of operation. The value of the 

 output for 1910 was estimated to be at least $40,000,000. 

 In value of the crop, roses are at the head of the list with 

 carnations second and the violet third. The latter crop 

 alone was valued at a little over one million dcjllars last 

 year. 



In commercial floriculture the East, particularly Xew 

 England, has made wonderful progress. 



. Nehrling. 



Boston has always been a leader in floricultural work, 

 and no institutions in the country have done as much as' 

 the Massachusetts Horticultural'Society and the Boston 

 Gardeners' and Florists' Club in promoting horticultural 

 interests. Along scientific lines we must always keep in 

 mind the work of C. S. Sargent, who has given Boston 

 the finest Aboretum in the world, E. H. Wilson, who has 

 collected materials in regions hitherto unknown, and Jack- 

 son Dawson, that eminent plant propagator. 



The concentration of wealth in Xew York and Boston 

 insures for the eastern grower the highest prices for his 

 products. It also affords the private gardener the largest 

 opportunity for the pursuit of his profession. 



The development in the West in the past twenty-five 

 years has been equally as wonderful. In fact the Aliddle 

 Western grower has over-shadowed his Eastern brother 

 in the amount of capital invested, in modern equipment, 

 and cultural methods. .\t the present time Chicago is- 

 one of the greatest flower markets in the country and it is 

 the principal distributing center of the Middle West. 

 From there cutflowers are shipped in great quantities to 

 all the neighboring states, and regular shiiiments are made 

 to Xew ( Jrleans, Jacksonville, Morida and Denver, Colo- 

 rado. The choicest flowers sold in the flower shops of 

 Xew Orleans during the winter months come from Chi- 

 cago. And yet this industry can be traced back to 1878, 

 when J. C. \'aughan started a small cutflower business. 

 Since that time the business has developed to monster 

 ])roportions and according to a prominent floriculturist of 

 that section is still in its infancy and destined to imderga 

 still greater development and more radical changes. Xear 

 Chicago are found the two largest glass areas in the- 

 world. One of these known as Poehlman Brothers'' 

 establishment, originated in 1885 when .-Vdolph Poehl- 

 man started to grow flowers in a small way at Morton: 

 Grove, Illinois. In 1889, John and August Poehlman; 

 joined their brother and the firm entered in the cutflower 

 market in 1894 under its present name. The business has 

 proven highly successful and the little range of glass at 

 !\Iorton Grove, about 20,0C0 feet in all, has reached the 

 enormous total of over 2,000,000 feet. Peter Reinberg 

 is said to have the scccjud largest glass area, about 

 2,000,000 feet in all. At one time, over a million feet 

 alone were devoted to the culture of the American Beauty 

 Rose. But the development of the industry has not ceased 

 at Chicago or the Rocky mountains. It is noticeably 

 clear to the Pacific coast, California having some of the 

 most modern establishments in the country. 



Much has been done to further the floricultural interests- 

 bv progressive horticultural societies. There are between 

 400 and 500 societies in existence in the United States at 

 the present tin-ie, not including the bona fide trade organi- 

 zations. In nearly every large city is to be found a 

 Florists' Club organized for both business and social pur- 

 poses. Many states have .State Florists' .'Xssociations. 

 working along some ])articnlar line, always exchanging 

 new ideas and seeking information. These ideas are 

 somewhat different from those of the old-time gardeners 

 who kept their niethods secret, often working behind 

 locked doors. The most important organization, how- 

 ever, is the Society of American Florists and Ornamentar 

 Horticulturists, a national society working under a charter 

 granted by the federal government. Similar organiza- 

 tions are the Xational Association of Gardeners, the 

 .American Carnation Society, the .American Rose Society, 

 the Chrvsanthemun-i society of .America, the Americar& 



