92 PACIFIC STATES FLORAL CONGRESS. 



confined practically to my own experience, an experience dating from 

 my boyhood, for when a schoolboy, part of my duties on the farm was 

 to look after the flower seeds. 



My various experiments have included a considerable number of 

 kinds of flowers, but many if not most of these flowers we no longer 

 grow; in fact, many of them never reached a plane beyond experiment, 

 principally on account of their proving to be unprofitable. 



Such flowers as we have grown for seed in sufficient quantity to sell, 

 and can be properly considered well tried, are represented by the follow- 

 ing list: 



Aster, sweet alyssum, balsam, candytuft, ccnturca, calendula, annual 

 chrysanthemum, calliopsis, cosmos, carnation, coxscomb, dianthus, esch- 

 scholtzia, hunnemannia, hollyhock, helichrysum, marigold, mignonette, 

 poppy, verbena, zinnia, snapdragon, marvel of Peru, gaillardia, scabiosa, 

 phlox, foxglove, salpiglossis, perennial pea, sweet pea, nasturtium, sun- 

 flower, sweet-william, stocks, smilax, pansy, molucella, ricinus, and 

 nicotiana. 



These are items that we have grown from time to time. Many of 

 them we have given up, and are now not growing more than half this 

 list. 



You will notice that most of these flowers are annuals, which are the 

 most natural sorts for a seed grower to devote his time to, since the 

 demand for seed in quantity would be more largely for things that 

 must be replanted every year from seed, and can not be propagated 

 from cuttings. 



The nursery business, which is interested wholly in selling plants, is 

 quite distinct from the seed-growing business, on this account- 

 Annuals, being the most easily grown, are also apt to be the least 

 profitable, since prices are correspondingly low ; as, for instance, mignon- 

 ette, which is quoted by the foreign growers as low as sixteen cents per 

 pound, and it costs us nearly that to harvest it here. 



Biennials and perennials are always troublesome to carry over from 

 season to season, since they require a certain amount of winter cultiva- 

 tion, and are in constant danger of being drowned out in a wet winter, 

 or killed by the frost when the cold is very severe. 



While many things can be sown directly in the field and thinned, it 

 is better to start all fine seeds in hot-beds and transplant in the field 

 when of the proper size and when tender plants can be reasonably 

 assured that all danger of frost is over. 



This process of transplanting is always expensive, representing a 

 great deal of hand labor, but it is important and usually necessary, 

 since many things are improved by it, and the plant has larger and 

 better flowers m consequence. 



