490 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



persistent bloomers. The verbena is a trailer, a full-grown plant cov- 

 ering 2 to 6 square feet. 



Zinnia. A strong, rather coarse growing plant, but very hardy 

 and a persistent bloomer. The seeds are slow to germinate and the 

 young plants should be given plenty of room to develop. Height 

 10 to 24 inches. (B. P. I. Cir. 433.) 



Indoor Flowers in Relation to Health. Plants purify the air of 

 a living room during the day. They use the poisonous foul gas in 

 the air, and give off oxygen. At night, however, this process is re- 

 versed to some extent, light in connection with the leaf green being 

 necessary for the plants to take the impurities from the air. It is 

 essential therefore that this should be watched when flowers are used 

 in the sick room and the living room. (Cornell F. R-C. B. 5.) 



COMMERCIAL FLOWER FARMING. 



Fruits, flowers, and vegetables are needed to meet the require- 

 ments of life, and these, to be furnished at their best, must be grown 

 for the most part close at hand and produced in such a way that the 

 largest return can be secured from a given area of land with a mini- 

 mum risk. To accomplish this result it must be practicable to control 

 to a large extent climate, soil, moisture, temperature, and, in a meas- 

 ure, light. The only way this can be done successfully and practically 

 is through the medium of glass houses. 



General Plant Growing. The field of general plant growing 

 probably offers more opportunities than any of the others ; that is, op- 

 portunities for a greater number of people. In the vicinity of every 

 town or city having a population of from 3,000 to 10,000 there may 

 be found in most cases good openings for the ambitious and progres- 

 sive farmer who desires to supply a home market with general crops 

 which may be grown partly under glass and partly in a very intensive 

 way out of doors. The demand in towns and cities of this size, of 

 course, is not for any great quantity of any one thing; hence, the 

 necessity for producing a variety, as ornamental plants for use in 

 home yards, plants for cut flowers, vegetables, etc. a general miscel- 

 laneous stock. 



In work of this nature it is essential that the location selected be 

 within easy reach of the business limits of the city, for the grower 

 will have to depend largely for his trade on those who may visit his 

 establishment. Such being the case, land must be secured, if practi- 

 cable, within easy access of those who may wish to visit the place as 

 prospective buyers. 



For an ordinary establishment of this nature half an acre of 

 ground is sufficient for a small start. An acre would be better. Due 

 attention must be given to the location with respect to soil, water fa- 

 cilities, and opportunities for securing fuel and other essential things 

 required in general work. In most cases half an acre of ground un- 

 der such circumstances can be bought for $500. To equip properly 

 a small greenhouse would require another $500. For miscellaneous 

 equipment, including tools, outbuildings, and stock, $200 would be 

 necessary for a start. Thus, there would be invested in the neighbor- 

 hood of $1,200. If the man himself wished to live at the place, as 



