May 17, 1917. 



The Florists^ Review 



27 



Head Lettuce Can be Grown One Plant to Each Square Foot and With Commercial Fertilizer Only. 



EARLY OUTDOOR VEGETABLES. 



Growers Get Good Returns. 



Probably never since the indoor grow- 

 ing of vegetables assumed important 

 proportions has there been a greater de- 

 mand at better prices than during the 

 last few months. The result has been 

 that many growers of flowers and 

 plants set apart a portion of their houses 

 for vegetables and also have begun the 

 cultivation of early outdoor vegetables, 

 which seem sure to bring profitable 

 returns. 



There are many reasons why the 

 growing of vegetables has yielded well 

 this year. Prices of meat are higher 

 than in a great many years; the same 

 applies to practically everything that 

 goes on the table of the American fam- 

 ily. Consequently, even with fresh veg- 

 etables, both indoor and southern-grown, 

 at high prices, thoy have been as eco- 

 nomical as other foodstuffs not so de- 

 sirable. 



As an example of this, potatoes may 

 be cited. Throughout the winter, the 

 1916 crop retailed in the larger cities 

 at around $3 per bushel. This price was 

 maintained despite the hue and cry it 

 raised. Thus wlien the southern-grown 

 new potatoes appeared, the price, though 

 slightly higher than for old potatoes, 

 did not scare the housewife and the 

 demand lias been such as to consume 

 the supply, which, in. Florida, was the 

 greatest in the history of the state. 



Demand Has Increased. 



Lettuce, tomatoes, radishes and other 

 vegetables grown indoors have met with 

 this same demand. Although the pro- 

 duction during the later winter and the 

 spring months was greater than ever 

 before, there has been no glut. Prices 

 have held up to a point where there was 

 a good profit in them for the growers 



and the consumers have purchased 

 freely. 



May 12 is late in the season for indoor 

 vegetables and the southern crop, with 

 few exceptions, has taken their place in 

 the northern markets. The following 

 prices at Chicago, 111., on that date will 

 show what the grower of outdoor vege- 

 tables has been getting: 



Rcets, per bbl $2.50 to $5.00 



Radishes, per hamper 50 to .7r) 



Carrots, per bbl 2..50 to 4. .50 



Spinaeli, per bbl 3.00 to 0..50 



Cabbage, 100 lbs 5.00 to G.50 



Onions, per crate 2.00 to 2.25 



New potatoes, per bbl 9.50 



'J'omatoos, per crate 3.50 to 4.00 



With prices holding up as they have, 

 there will continue to be a big produc- 

 tion of early outdoor vegetables. And 

 it seems certain that prices for these 

 vegetables will continue good. The 

 amateur who this year is planting a gar- 

 den cannot compete as to time of ma- 

 turity with the professional. His crop 

 will not be ready until after the com- 

 mercial crop has been harvested and 

 marketed. 



Must Beat the Amateur. 



The immense production that inten- 

 sive and intelligent cultivation can 

 bring is demonstrated in the accom- 

 ]ianying illustration showing a field of 

 lettuce on the farm of the late George 

 F. Fish at Middletown, N. Y. Indoor- 

 grown plants put outdoors at the earli- 

 est possible date give the commercial 

 grower a start on the amateur that 

 means much in cash returns. 



Secretary Houston, of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, asserts that the 

 maximum food production in the United 

 States this year will no more than take 

 care of the needs of this country and 

 its allies in the war. And at the same 

 time he says that there is little likeli- 

 hood of a maximum production. There- 

 fore, with all the back yard gardens and 



tl-~ ".ampaign for a maximum food pro- 

 duction by the farmers, there seems to 

 be little probability of lower prices dur- 

 ing the next year and the commercial 

 vegetable grower can feel certain that 

 he will get prices that will insure him 

 a good profit on everything he produces. 



VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS DYING. 



We are having trouble with our to- 

 mato, pepper and egg plants. We trans- 

 planted them in flats and they seemed 

 to be all right, but now they are dying 

 off. We liave not overwatered them. 

 Can you tell us the cause of the trouble f 

 Enclosed you will find some of the af- 

 fected tomato plants. 



H. W. A.— N. Y. 



The seedlings were completely dried 

 up when received. There has either 

 been something harmful in the soil or 

 tlie watering has not been properly 

 done. Have you, perhaps unintention- 

 ally, put your seedlings in soil contain- 

 ing any chemical fertilizer? If so, that 

 in itself would account for their dying. 

 A too low temperature would also be 

 harmful. Tomato, egg and pepper 

 plants require a warm house, not below 

 ~>~) degrees at night while the plants are 

 small, and 60 degrees would be better. 

 A too heavy soil would also be unsuit- 

 able for these seedlings and would cause 

 damping off. Temperature, soil and 

 watering are all to be considered; also, 

 necessary shading, after transplanting 

 has been done. C. W. 



Ashtabula, O.— With coal in minimum 

 supply and at maximum prices, many 

 of the smaller vegetable growers have 

 practically decided to grow crops run- 

 ning into the cold season, then close 

 down until spring. This is a regrettable 

 decision, as every range counts at this 

 time. 



