8 INTRODUCTORY SUGGESTIONS. 
famous ‘‘ carnation belt’’ of Chester county, Pennsylvania, 
tomatoes are largely grown as an early spring crop, fol- 
lowing the crops of carnation cuttings. 
Locations for vegetable forcing. —The items which 
chiefly enter into the choice of an ideal location for the 
forcing of vegetables are the transportation facilities and 
the price of fuel. The operator makes his climate, and 
mixes his soils to order. Yet a sunny climate is always to 
be preferred, for it is essential to quick and sure results in 
midwinter that there be an abundance of direct sunlight. 
The severity of the climate as respects cold is a very minor 
factor, for the operator is able, in the construction and pro- 
tection of his house, to make himself very largely indepen- 
dent of the outside temperature without great additional 
consumption of fuel. Whilst the gardener manufactures 
his soil, so to speak, yet in certain crops (as in heading 
lettuce) it is very important that the soil of the neighbor- 
hood should be free of hard clay. 
The transportation facilities are all-important. The pro- 
duct must reach the market expeditiously, and there should 
be direct access to several good markets. The product 
is not bulky, and the expense of shipping it is not heavy. 
Distance from market, therefore, is a less important factor 
than frequent and expeditious means of shipping. If one 
has a large product to ship, the actual distance from market 
is of still less moment, for the gardener can secure con- 
cessions on transportation rates; but it is nevertheless 
important that the market be directly accessible. Many 
of the large vegetable forcers ship their products two and 
three hundred miles. All winter products are shipped 
by express. 
The vegetable forcing establishments are widely scat- 
tered. The larger part of them are in the environs of the 
large cities of the east, but many of them are in small cities 
or villages several hours removed from the markets. They 
can often be established with profit upon farms which are 
near one or more good railway stations, and when the 
