PACKING AND MARKETING. 3 



experience and knowledge. One must discover the knack 

 of ventilating, watering, heating and training adapted to 

 every crop, and this can be learned only by patient work 

 and study. Every failure should stimulate inquiry, and the 

 operator should not rest until he has ascertained its cause. 



It is imperative that the person who desires to grow 

 vegetables under glass should begin in a small way. Let 

 him begin with a small house say 20 by 60 feet and 

 gradually feel his way, both in the growing of the plants 

 and in the marketing of the product. If he is successful in 

 a small house, he need have no hesitation in extending his 

 area, for it is easier to control the conditions of temper- 

 ature and moisture in a large establishment than in a 

 small one. 



As a rule, in all those industries in which a very supe- 

 rior product is to be obtained, and in which the risks are 

 great, the rewards are good to those who succeed. Good 

 winter vegetables, placed attractively upon the market at 

 timely occasions, are sure of ready sales. Quite as many 

 persons fail to market their products successfully as to 

 grow them well. A forced vegetable is a luxury. It is a 

 special product. Its sale depends, therefore, very much 

 upon its beauty and attractiveness. Every tomato and 

 melon should be neatly wrapped in clean, thin paper, and 

 if each wrapper bear the name and address of the grower, 

 so much the better. Great care must be taken to pack the 

 product so that it shall not wilt, nor be touched by frost, 

 nor bruised or soiled in transit. In short, the product must 

 be dainty. 



In general, it may be said that the common open market 

 is rarely profitable for winter-forced vegetables, unless they 

 are grown upon such a large scale that the grower controls 

 the market, rather than the market the grower. The person 

 who desires to make money from these crops should secure 

 special markets for them, either by placing them directly in 

 the families of the consumers, or consigning them to dealers 

 who have a particular or fancy trade in such products. The 



