NOTES ON WINTER GARDENING. 

 W. M. Munson. 



Eternal vigilance and the exercise of good judgment, both 

 in the management of the crops and in marketing, are far more 

 important than adherence to set rules in conducting successful 

 gardening operations in winter. The grower must possess a 

 love for the business, and must give personal attention to all 

 of the details. All instructions must be regarded as suggestive 

 rather than as rules to be rigorously applied. These consider- 

 ations being recognized, and the requisite energy being thrown 

 into the work, the business may be very profitable in many 

 localities. 



The risks in forcing vegetables are great. For this reason it 

 is advisable to begin in a small way and develop with the busi- 

 ness. One must learn how to ventilate, to water, to manage 

 his furnace, and to market. This experimental work is best 

 done, at first, on a small scale. Again, it will in general be 

 necessary to create a special market for winter-forced vegeta- 

 bles and this must be gradually accomplished. In Maine we 

 cannot hope to compete with the growers of Massachusetts in 

 supplying the large wholesale markets, but must depend upon 

 our own larger cities and towns for a market. For this reason 

 a "fancy" market near at hand should be sought. 



Aside from the cost of constructing glass houses, the most 

 important items of expense to be considered are the fuel and 

 the labor. The cost of these items can be only approximately 

 estimated, since they will vary with local conditions. A single 

 house standing alone, covering 2,000 square feet of surface, 

 will require not far from twenty-five tons of coal for the year, 

 if a temperature suitable for tomatoes and cucumbers is to be 

 maintained. For lettuce and radishes considerably less is 

 needed. Several houses standing together will require propor- 



