554 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. IV. No. 94. 



question has no special reference to the con- 

 dition of the fruit itself. All fruits that are 

 eaten ought to be healthy. That is, they 

 should be well matured, sound, and free 

 from disease. As a rule, such ' healthy 

 fruits ' are for most of us wholesome, al- 

 though they are neither food nor medicine. 



The best results possible from the dietetic 

 use of fruits and vegetables come from eat- 

 ing those that are fresh, healthy and prop- 

 erly matured, and which have been pro- 

 duced by our own skill and industry. 



I am dwelling too long upon the relations 

 of the products of horticulture to health. 



Let us consider how horticulture as a 

 vocation's tan ds related to the physical, in- 

 tellectual and moral well-being of mankind. 

 In order to maintain physical strength and 

 vigor, at least four things are needful. 

 These are pure air, nutritious food, un- 

 broken sleep and muscular exercise. 



That vocation which comes the nearest 

 to supplying these requisites of good health 

 can scarcely be other than a desirable one. 

 Judged by this standard, horticulture 

 stands at the very head of the list. Its 

 quiet, its segregation from strife and jealous 

 rivalry, its unequaled opportunities for 

 nature study, make it at once attractive 

 and healthful. Blessed is he who works in 

 greenhouse, garden or orchard. As a rule, 

 his day's exertion ends with the evening 

 twilight, and he rises each morning with 

 his physical energies renewed for fresh 

 activity. To him is given that full measure 

 of health only vouchsafed to those who 

 spend most of their waking hours in the 

 free, pure air and renovating sunshine of 

 the open country. 



Health is not only wealth, but happiness, 

 and the superior advantages of horticulture 

 as a healthful vocation cannot be loo strongly 

 urged. 



Floriculture and small fruit culture are 

 preeminently adapted to women. There 

 are few industries where fairer returns for 



capital and labor expended are more cer- 

 tain ; few that can be so well begun with 

 small means, and still remain capable of 

 indefinite extension. Fine fruits and 

 flowers are in universal demand. They 

 are the necessities of the rich and the ap- 

 preciated luxuries of the poor. 



Our densely populated commercial cen- 

 ters, our thronged and fashionable summer 

 resorts, are rarely, if ever, adequately sup- 

 plied with them. As a rule, they take all 

 they can get, and then look around for 

 more. You might double the largest an- 

 nual yield of good berries, or fine roses or 

 carnations, with profit to the producers. 

 The home market for products of this sort 

 is signally elastic, the demand ever keeping 

 well abreast of the supply. 



The same is true of winter forced vege- 

 tables. In the light of a personal experi- 

 ence of over twenty years, I can confidently 

 affirm that the vocation of horticulture, 

 when wisely and energetically followed, is 

 a profitable one. I believe there are few 

 pursuits which afford as bright prospects, 

 or as full an assurance of reward for intel- 

 ligent, persistent effort, as does this. 



Listen to a few facts. The vegetable forc- 

 ing-houses belonging to the horticulture de- 

 partment of the Ohio State University have 

 an aggregate glass area of a little less than 

 4,000 square feet. There are two plain struc- 

 tures which could be built at the present 

 time for about $900 each. The total bench 

 space in these two houses is a trifle more 

 than one-twentieth of an acre. During the 

 past five years the annual sales from these 

 forcing-houses have averaged about $600. 



The following are among the more im- 

 portant crops commercially grown the past 

 year, and the receipts of each : 



Lettuce $406.10 



Radishes 52.25 



Beets 45.00 



Cucumbers 48.50 



Hyacinths 59.25 



Total $611.10 



