110 STATE BOARD OP AGRICULTURE. 



were planted in dark caves or cellars, or under greenhouse benches; 

 nobody seemed to know much about them and the record of failures far 

 outnumbered that of success. They are becoming more manageable 

 as we understand them better, and the prospect for their being 

 more generally used is very encouraging. Tliey are grown very success- 

 fully under greenhouse benches, though I believe it pays to build houses 

 especially adapted for them. Like tomatoes, cucumbers and beans, 

 unless near a large city, a steady market would have to be built up; but 

 it is the opinion of those that have tried them that the demand is steadily 

 increasing. Cucumbers, tomatoes, beans and strawberries are other pos- 

 sible crops, but as they require more care and expense to grow, it is a 

 question during the early part of the winter at least, whether there is suf- 

 ficient demand to make them pay. 



TOMATOES. 



It is said that in the city of Baltimore only a few years ago, they 

 never expected tomatoes before the local crop ripened in July. Now the 

 Florida crop begins to come early in January in a fresh and healthy con- 

 dition, as it requires little over a day and a night for transportation, 

 hardly longer than is required to bring the local crop on schooners from 

 the lower estuaries of Chesapeake Bay. These early tomatoes sell read- 

 ily for 50 or 75c. a dozen at the same time that oranges are bringing from 

 15 to 30c. a dozen, and while canned tomatoes are selling for 15c. a can. 

 The same can be said of the lettuce business in Grand Rapids. Ten years 

 ago we would have ridiculed the idea of finding a market for the crop 

 which there is no trouble in getting rid of today. It is true that the let- 

 tuce men in Grand Rapids are not making as much money as they did 

 three or four years ago, but they are all agreed it is their best paying 

 crop yet. It is difficult for some of us to see how, with present prices, it 

 can be grown and sold at any profit. 



The business of growing lettuce in greenhouses at Grand Rapids has 

 been imitated in many places throughout the country; the result is, that 

 there is placed within the reach of the man of moderate means an article 

 of diet that during the winter season has been considered a luxury. 



THE LABOR. 



The work of caring for vegetables in glass structures is being steadily 

 reduced. Aw^ay from cities the difficulty of getting a sufficient water 

 supply at all times necessitated considerable outlay; even this is greatly 

 simplified. Several experiment stations — our own among the rest — have 

 proved that crops can be grown in greenhouses quicker, better and 

 cheaper by a system of sub-irrigation. This is done by laying lines of 

 three inch porous tile three to four feet apart and six inches from the sur- 

 face in solid beds; or on the bottom of benches made of boards, dressed 

 on the sides and nailed tightly together, and having a thin covering of 

 Louisville cement in proportion of one part cement and three of sand and 

 applied with an old broom or whitewash brush. This protects the boards 

 and makes the bed nearly water tight. The ends of the row should be 



