22 PRACTICAL FLORICULTURE. 



profitable than the growing of plants, and is so even at 

 the date of writing. While plant growing for market has 

 probably averaged a profit of thirty per cent, on the invest- 

 ment, Rose growing may have averaged forty or fifty per 

 cent., and, in consequence, the structures for Eose grow- 

 ing and other cut flowers for winter are increasing much 

 more rapidly than those for plant growing. This will lead 

 to the natural result, an over-production, and my advice 

 to beginners in all small cities and towns is, to begin a 

 general florist's business, adding cut flowers to it if need 

 be, but do not risk all your capital on any one specialty 

 at least, not until you have proved beyond question that 

 you can make such specialty profitable. 



What is' true of the florist's business I believe to be 

 equally true of the nursery trade, and it is much to be 

 doubted if that business anywhere in all Europe is so sim- 

 ply, yet profitably, carried on as it is in the great nurseries 

 of Rochester and Geneva. 



CHAPTER IV. 

 ASPECT AND SOIL. 



The aspect of the flower garden, when choice can be 

 made, should be towards the south, or southeast, and if 

 sheltered by hills, or belts of timber, from the northwest, 

 many plants and trees can be safely grown that could 

 not otherwise succeed without that shelter. Such a sit- 

 uation also permits operations to be begun earlier in 

 spring, and continued later in the fall, in some locations 

 making the season from two to three weeks longer than 

 if the aspect had been to the north or northwest. 



The" soil in flower gardening, as in all horticulturaj 

 operations, is the basis of success, and is of even more im- 



