118 COMMERCIAL ROSE CULTURE 



The cost of operating also depends largely on the owner or 

 manager. Labor and coal are the principal items. After you; 

 have figured these, you must add a reasonable amount for 

 incidentals and other expenses, all of which multiply at an 

 alarming rate. Taxes, interest, depreciation of stock, etc., all 

 have to be considered before you can count the profit. But, 

 after all, Rose growing is a profitable business if it is properly 

 carried on. If you cannot do it right it is the wisest plan to 

 let it alone. 



In addition to the revenue derived from the ordinary sales 

 of cut flowers and plants (and the old plants from the benches 

 may sometimes be turned into a little cash at replanting time), 

 there is the possibility of a plant sporting on your place which, 

 if it is an improvement over existing varieties, may prove of 

 value. In this case, watch it carefully for a couple of years to 

 make sure it is a good thing. Propagate a good stock from the 

 best wood and sell it as soon as you can get a good offer from 

 a reliable firm unless you have the facilities for growing and 

 shipping young plants yourself. You will probably be better 

 off in the end if you pursue the former method, for the cost of 

 sending out a new variety is considerable. In any event, avoid 

 keeping a sport too long as there is always the possibility of 

 another grower having one as good as yours and getting it on 

 the market ahead of you. 



POISONING WITH FERTILIZERS AND INSECTICIDES 



There has often been a cry raised that growers are using 

 dangerous chemicals on their bushes as fertilizers or insecticides. 

 People handling flowers in the markets and in stores have had 

 badly swollen hands and arms at times and the growers have 

 been blamed for it. I never believed that this was right and 

 have asked several doctors who quite agree with me. Presum- 

 ably healthy people have died before through the prick of a 



