4 THE PRINCIPLES OF FLORICULTURE 



7. Importance of the industry. Flower-production 

 is becoming more and more an important factor in the 

 business world. In the early history of the United 

 States, people were so busily engaged in establishing 

 homes and various branches of other commercial indus- 

 tries, that little attention was given to the more aesthetic 

 features of life. Flowers have, however, always played 

 an important part in the social life of the people and been 

 a cheering factor in bereavement. Within recent years 

 they have been more and more in demand, especially in 

 large cities and towns where there are many social func- 

 tions, and at holiday seasons. This has given flower- 

 production a wonderful stimulus. 



8. The growth of the industry. Between 1830 and 

 1840, rapid progress was made in plant-production. The 

 demand for greenhouse products increased to a consider- 

 able degree. Better greenhouses were built, better sys- 

 tems of heating were devised, and consequently better 

 products were put on the market. Previous to 1870 the 

 flower-growing business consisted principally of plants 

 for out-door bedding and for other ornamental purposes. 

 The cut-flowers of that period were mostly small-flowered 

 and short-stemmed, such as heliotrope, camellia, tuberose 

 and bouvardia. Although the carnation was introduced 

 as a florist crop about 1852, it was of little commercial 

 importance previous to 1870. About 1865, the firm of 

 Dailledouze & Zellar of Flatbush, Long Island, began to 

 breed the carnation, and between 1866 and 1872, they 

 introduced several new varieties. 



Garden roses had been popular for many years, still 

 few attempts were made to grow them under glass previous 

 to 1870. Following that date, roses so grown came 

 rapidly into public favor. Commercial orchid, violet 



