FLORICULTURE. 347 
Roman Hyacinths— White and rose, mostly used for cut flowers. 
Narcissus.—Yellow and white. 
Tulips.—Red, yellow, pink and white. 
All of these bulbs should be planted in the fall for house culture in 
pots. The pots should be kept in acool cellar. The best way is to cover 
them with three or four inches of earth; and let them remain from one 
to two months or until the growth begins to show through the earth. 
After that take them into a warm room-where they have plenty of light, 
but not too much sun at first until they get accustomed to it. Give 
them plenty of water and nice flowers will be the result. 
One thing more I would suggest, that is, to buy your plants and fiowers 
of the florist at your own town, or if there is no florist there, as near home 
as possible. Never buy of the agents, for you will always have to pay 
more for the pictures they show you than for the plants. 
GREENHOUSE FLOWERING PLANTS. 
AUG. S. SWANSON, ST. PAUL. 
Mr. President and Members of State Horticultural Society: 
Having just spent the last ten years in this state, engaged in the florist 
business, during which time I have seen what wonderful progress the state 
of Minnesota has made in all other industries, and knowing that our pro- 
fession has progressed very rapidly (probably too rapidly for its own good) 
all over this country, it suggested itself to me that it would probably be 
of some interest to look back to the beginning of the period I have been 
in Minnesota and see what ‘‘Progress the Florist Business in the Last 
Decade” amounts to in this state,—whether it has kept pace with the 
general advancement of industries and pursuits. I think, from the statis- 
tics I will present, we will find ithas doneso. | 
From the last census report we learn that, as an industry, floriculture 
has been for the first time made a subject of census investigation; and 
Mr. J. H. Hale, the compiler of reports relative to floriculture at the last 
census, begins his report with these words: ‘‘While flowers and flowering 
plants were grown for sale to a very limited extent in this country one 
hundred years ago, the business of the commercial florist has made the 
greater part of its development during the past twenty-five years, and the 
larger proportion of this business the past ten years.” After inquiry of 
every florist in the United States, the report recites that ‘‘there was 
but one commercial fiorist in the country in the year 1800, and only three 
establishments started between 1810 and 1820; eight more were started the 
next decade, twenty-five the next, followed by forty-five between 1840 
and 1850; 96 between 1850 and 1860; 313 were established between 1860 and 
1870; 998 between 1870 and 1880; 1,797 between 1880 and 1890.” 
From this we see that the florist business has increased during the last 
ten years in the number of establishments about 130 per cent. This is 
certainly a very great increase, but still it does not tell us the increase of 
capacity, which no doubt is more than 200 per cent. Now, what interests 
us is this: Has the florist business made as rapid progress here in Minne- 
