October 16, 1896.] 



SCIENCE. 



555 



When we consider that these forcing- 

 houses are used but little more than one- 

 half of the year the result attained is 

 encouraging. It should be stated that in 

 addition to the above crops there were 

 ^grown in less quantities, and chiefly for ex- 

 perimental purposes, parsley, peppers, egg- 

 plant, cauliflower, string beans, onions and 

 a few other vegetables, including mush- 

 rooms, as well as a somewhat smaller list 

 of flowering plants. 



The cultivation of the small fruits is like- 

 wise peculiarly suitable for women. It is a 

 lousiness for both old and young. Examples 

 are not wanting to show signal successes 

 attained in strawberry, currant and goose- 

 berry culture, by women as well as men, 

 when begun in the decline of life. 



Small fruit culture is an industry that 

 especially commends itself to poor women 

 who are struggling to support their children 

 in frugal independence. Almost any one 

 can obtain control of a cottage with a half 

 acre, more or less, of warm southward- 

 sloping land, which can be planted with 

 early vegetables and small fruits, in such a 

 way as to be a source of continuous profit. 

 If a small forcing-house can be added, and 

 to this can be accorded that constant su- 

 pervision without which no industry is 

 likely to prosper, it will be an added source 

 of revenue. In this way many a widow 

 •could find a healthful, congenial occupa- 

 iiion which did not require her to spend 

 her days away from home, or subject her to 

 the caprices of a selfish or thoughtless em- 

 ployer. I believe there is no other occupa- 

 tion in which, for the capital invested, suc- 

 cess is so nearly certain as in horticulture. 

 Of every one hundred men who embark in 

 trade, carefully collected statistics report 

 that at least ninety fail. Why ? Mainly 

 because competition is so sharp and trafiic 

 so enormously overdone. If one hundred 

 men endeavor to support themselves and 

 iamilies by merchandise in a town which 



affords adequate business for only ten, it is 

 absolutely certain that a large majority 

 must fail, no matter how able their man- 

 agement or how economical their living. 

 On the other hand, the number of horticul- 

 turists in almost any community might be 

 doubled without neccessarily dooming one 

 to failure, or even abridging his income. If 

 one- half of the day laborers in the country 

 were to embark in horticulture to-morrow, 

 I do not believe it would render the indus- 

 try one whit less profitable, while it could 

 scarcely fail to add to the health, wealth 

 and comfort of all. 



I shall have little to say regarding the 

 relation of horticulture to intellectual 

 health. Any true knowledge of the art or 

 practice must be based upon science. 



The horticulturist stands face to face 

 with problems which require for their solu- 

 tion the amplest knowledge of nature's laws, 

 the fullest command of science, and the 

 best eiforts of the human intellect. In this 

 art, study and mental acquisition, together 

 with a habit of observation and reflection, 

 are equally essential and serviceable. How- 

 ever it may be with others, the horticultur- 

 ist imperatively needs a knowledge of the 

 character and constitution of the soil he 

 tills, and the plants he cultivates, and the 

 laws which govern their relations to each 

 other. 



Geology, chemistry and botany are the 

 sciences which unlock for him the secrets 

 of nature, and a knowledge of these is 

 among the most vitally urgent of his 

 needs. 



Horticulture is an intellectual pursuit, 

 and in its practice the strongest minds may 

 find scope for profitable employment. The 

 one who chooses this profession must keep 

 his mind open and his mental faculties 

 alert by constant observation and study. 

 Horticulture is esteemed by all, because 

 every useful vocation is respected in pro- 

 portion to the measure of intellect it re- 



