Who Shall Grow Carnations 



fragrance — and not commit the error of producing blooms solely with a view 

 to enormous size, stiff stems, and regular form, the popularity of the carnation 

 ought to be conceded as a permanent factor in commercial floriculture. If 

 the clove gillyflower — i. e., the clove pink, mentioned in the early history of 

 the English carnation— so richly fragrant as to scent a whole greenhouse, 

 were still in existence, its popularity would undoubtedly be as great as in the 

 olden days. 



Who Shall Grow Carnations 



During each year the author receives a number of letters from enthu- 

 siastic lovers of the carnation, who desire to engage in its commercial 

 culture. These letters come from and represent a varied class of people, 

 being received not only from the aged financier, or professional man, con- 

 templating retiring from active business life and desirous of spending his 

 remaining years in some light, interesting employment, yet retaining enough 

 thrift to wish the occupation to pay its way, but from the energetic lad, with 

 his career still before him ; also the middle-aged man, whose salary is begin- 

 ning to be insufficient to care properly for the growing family, and who 

 hopes, by engaging in some side employment about which he can busy him- 

 self before and after business hours, to add, in a slight measure, to his 

 income; as well as from the spinster, who longs to support the dependent 

 loved ones by engaging in some employment which will save her from 

 teaching, the factory, the store counter, or, more hated still, domestic service. 



These letters are always interesting, as they disclose the existence of such 

 earnest hopes of success as would call forth all the energies of which the 

 writers were capable ; but they also disclose a lack of practical horticultural 

 experience, and indicate that the writers have not formed any conception of 

 the application necessary to master the commercial growing of flowers and 

 to overcome the difficulties connected with their culture, in order to gain 

 a fair profit and compensation for the labor entailed and capital invested. 

 One writes that she holds a position as telegraph operator in a country town. 

 Her home is but a few rods from the station. She has dependent upon her 

 an aged father. She is imbued with the idea that the culture of beautiful 

 carnations will add something to her income, and prove a pleasure as well. 

 Then, too, she has an advantage : the aged father will be only too glad to 

 take care of the plants during the hours she is employed in the office. She 

 has but a hundred, or two hundred dollars at the most at her command, 

 and has already expended, perhaps, one hundred and fifty dollars in the build- 

 ing of a lean-to greenhouse against the dwelling before she applied for 



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