DKCKMBEll 28, 1905. 



The Weekly Florists^ Review^ 



375 



■ llv changing an J the time lias come 

 ^ li'en the construction of glass houses 

 1(1 tlie production of plants under glass 

 •lie regarded much in the same light as 

 tiie development of manufacturing in- 

 ,,;,..sts in a large factory; in other 

 xMjitls a modern greenhouse establish- 

 ,iiCiit is so handled at the present time 

 (lijit in many respects it is a factory, 

 ,,iijizing nature's forces in a way to 

 |. \,^ise the seasons for the purpose of 

 , , iiverting into wealth the products of 



f'i(^ soil. 



What are the possibilities in this field, 

 ;iii,l what are the steps in beginning a 

 \,ijik which, of necessity, must be of tiio 

 iiMSt intensive kind? 



The Man First. 



There is a great deal being said and 

 written at this tim« about farming as a 

 Mication. Many inducements are being 

 lield out to city people and others, and 

 many erroneous statements are being 

 made as to the opportunities in this field. 

 Tnquestionably, there is need for point- 

 ing out the advantages of rural life, but, 

 like all good things, the tendency some- 

 limes is to carry the argument too far, 

 .ind this results in inducing many people 

 to go into the country or to undertake 

 farm life who are wholly unfitted for the 

 work. The city man is often misled 

 by statements written by those who are 

 not thoroughly conversant with the facts, 

 and, again, by those who have interests 

 at stake and who w^ould directly benefit 

 hy inducing the prospective farmer to 

 invest in land. It would seem well, 

 therefore, to caution the reader on this 

 one point and to lay before him plainly 

 the facts in reference to some of the 

 more important requirements in the mat- 

 ter of undertaking the lines of work to 

 which we shall refer farther on. 



In such intensive work as must neces- 

 sarily be carried on in connection with 

 the growing of plants under glass, it is 

 essential that the man who is proposing 

 to undertake it should be in the prime of 

 life. It is not work for men beyond 

 middle age, nor is it work for men with 

 weak constitutions. "While the work is 

 not necessarily heavy, it is of such a na- 

 ture as to require strict attention, and 

 while it is for the most part in the open 

 air and therefore not as likely to bring 

 oil certain diseases as the case of other 

 more confining occupations, it frequently 

 happens that exposure is required, and 

 -neh exposure can only be borne by men 

 "f" comparatively strong constitutions. 



In addition to the foregoing, those 

 who tire contemplating work of this na- 

 ture must or should have a thorough 

 Inisiuess training. More failures result 

 Horn lack of good business capacity in 

 'liis field than from all other reasons 

 '"Hibined. It frequently happens that a 

 man may be successful in growing crops 

 • nid in getting them into good condition 

 I'lr marketing, but through lack of 

 knowledge or lack of ability to appre- 

 'iate the main fafts with reference to 

 '!ie commoreial haridlirg of his jirodui-ts 

 !ie fails. 



As a further necessity in this work, 

 it should be pointed out that some ex- 

 i'frience is required — the more expe- 

 iience, of course, the better. It is not 

 ■<lways practicable for a man contem- 

 i'lating entering a field of this nature 

 to have had experience in intensive lines 

 ^'f horticultural work. If he cannot get 

 't by direct practice, he should spare no 

 <^^ffort to find out all he can as to what 



The Rosary, New York, all Woodwork Covered with Birch Bark. 



others are doing; visit those who are 

 engaged in the business; secure the va- 

 rious works that have been published on 

 the subject ; consult the experiment sta- 

 tion reports; and familiarize himself in 

 every way with what the world is doing 

 in this field. If he will do this, and if 

 he is a man of keen perception and ob- 

 servation, he will soon be able in a 

 measure to manage his own affairs. 



So much, therefore, for the man. The 

 fields that are open may be considered 

 under several heads: General plant grow- 

 ing; special fields, as vegetable growing 

 and fiower growing; and then the ultra- 

 special fields, as specialization with cer- 

 tain crops, such as roses, carnations, or 

 violets. 



General Plant Growing. 



The fii^ld of general plant growing 

 probably offers more opportunities than 

 any of the others; that is, opportunities 

 for a greater number of peoj)Ie. In the 

 vicinity of every town or city having a 

 poj.ula'tion of from 3,000 to 10,000 there 

 may be found in most cases good open- 

 ings for the ambitious and progressive 

 young man who desires to supply a home 

 market with general crops which may be 

 grown partly under glass and partly in 

 a very intensive way out of doors. The 

 demand in toAvns and cities of this size, 

 of course, is not for any great quantity 

 of any one thing; hence, the necessity 

 for producing a variety, as ornamental 

 plants for use in home yards, plants for 

 cut flowers, vegetables, etc. — a general 

 miscellaneous stock. 



In work of this nature it is essential 



that the location selected be within easy 

 reach of the business limits of the city, 

 for the grower will have to depend large- 

 ly for his trade on those who may visit 

 his establishment. Such being the case, 

 land must be secured, if practicable, 

 within easy access of those who may wish 

 to vis^it the place as prospective buyers. 



For an ordinary establishment of this 

 nature half an acre of ground is suf- 

 ficient for a small start. An acre woidd 

 be better. Due attention must be given 

 to the location with respect to soil, water 

 facilities, and opportunities for secur- 

 ing fuel and other essential things re- 

 quired in general work. In most cases 

 half an acre of ground under such cir- 

 cumstancos can be bought for $.')00. To 

 equip properly a small greenhouse would 

 re(juire anollier $.500. For miscellaneous 

 equipment, including tools, outbuildings, 

 an<l stock, $:i00 would be necessary for a 

 htart. Tliu.^. there would be invested in 

 the neighborhood of $1,200. If the man 

 himself wislied to live at the place, as he 

 should do, it would probablv require 

 from $800 to $1,000 for a home". In |.ro. 

 ducing a variety of crops, as indicated 

 a))ove, the gross income from such a 

 place should be at least $1,200 pt r aii- 

 num. Practically all the work on sucli 

 a place could be done by the oAvner, w itli 

 some little assistance from time to time 

 in spring and fall. 



The crops handled should be a general 

 assortment of bedding plants, a sninll 

 collection of ornamentals — such as palms, 

 ferns, etc., which could be sold as pot 

 plants — and carnations, roses, chrysan- 

 themums, ( tc., for cut flowers during the 



