FLORICULTURE 497 



because of the cheaper class of labor, as compared with labor in 

 America, for instance. In the handling of many flowers and plants, 

 much hand labor is required, especially in the collection of the ma- 

 terial prior to distillation. The actual distillation and purification of 

 the oils can be conducted with equal economy in the United States, 

 while in the case of no small number of plants which may be suit- 

 ably collected and distilled in the whole condition the question of 

 labor becomes a less serious factor, especially in some instances where 

 mowing machines may be employed advantageously to harvest the 

 crops. Where hand picking is required, as in the case of some of the 

 more delicate odors from flowers and flowering tops, cultivation and 

 extraction of the odor could possibly be carried out in the Southern 

 States, which have abundant sunshine, an important prerequisite in 

 odor development. Furthermore, the labor conditions in the South- 

 ern States are such that the cost of gathering, which is a serious 

 obstacle, would be comparable to a degree with that in foreign 

 countries. 



From the standpoint of the consumption of products derived 

 from volatile oils obtained from plants, the commercial statistics 

 show a large and active market. They also show that the demand is 

 now supplied in very large part from foreign sources. The future 

 financial possibilities along this line for the scientific, up-to-date 

 farmer seem very great. (B. P. I. B. 195.) 



The Growing of Flower Seeds. Various flowers have been 

 grown for seed, in fact, a great assortment of varieties; and while 

 nearly all kinds flourish, there is so much handwork and close ap- 

 plication necessary that we have not been able to successfully com- 

 pete with Europe on most things. Sweet peas, nasturtiums, cosmos, 

 verbenas, petunias, and asters are quite successfully grown, and the 

 seed trade now looks to California for most of the sweet peas and a 

 great many nasturtiums. 



Southern California has several very prominent growers of fine 

 double petunias and other plants. The rapid advance of the Califor- 

 nia sweet-pea seed in popularity is most marvelous. A beginning 

 was made in this line in a moderate way about 1885, when there were 

 not over a dozen varieties listed. At first about a quarter of an acre 

 was grown ; now one grower alone has grown from 150 to 200 acres 

 of them each year for the past five years, and there are no less than 

 125 varieties in his complete list. This grower has introduced more 

 than 20 varieties of great merit in the last three years, among them 

 the famous race of "Cupids." So important a factor have the Cali- 

 fornia sweet-pea growers become to the seed trade that some dealers 

 come from the East annually to inspect the growing crops and to 

 hunt for novelties in the sweet-pea line. 



Some flower-seed growers devote themselves largely to the pro- 

 duction of new varieties. The seeds of these bring a better profit 

 than those of the common sorts, which can be more cheaply grown 

 in Europe. 



In the Eastern United States flower seeds have been grown to 

 some extent for at least fifty years. In 1849 James Vick began to 



