134 CARNATIONS IN MISSOURI 



$10 and even %$ per looo. The average price received by 

 any grower during that time seldom exceeded two cents. 

 Of course, this is compelling many growers to take up 

 other lines, and Roses are principally substituted. What 

 this will do to the Rose market remains to be seen. 



The style of houses is various. The construction 

 is principally the ridge and furrow plan, in width from 15 

 to 40 ft., and in length not to exceed 300 ft., mostly all of 

 wood construction. Recently a few growers have gone 

 over to the more modern and permanent style, namely, 

 semi-iron or steel. The largest of these is the immense 

 range of Gullett & Sons at Lincoln, III. This firm has 

 always contributed a large portion of its stock to the local 

 market. These houses are of the Moninger all-steel type. 

 The only house of iron construction in this vicinity is that 

 of W. J. Pilcher, at Kirkwood, Mo., this being a Lord & 

 Burnham house, 72 ft. x 200 ft., which at present is devoted 

 to Roses. Carnations in this section are not deemed worthy 

 of such fancy houses, evidently, as none has yet been 

 erected for that purpose. 



As to cultural conditions, cuttings in most of the 

 establishments are taken from blooming plants during 

 December, January and February. Some growers still 

 resort to the old way of growing them in flats until planting 

 out, but most generally they are grown in pots. We pot 

 our early propagated stock in 2 in. pots, then later shift 

 them into 2!/^ in. We think it pays us to do this, as we get 

 much stronger plants. Field planting is generally done 

 the latter part of April and the first part of May. Where 

 no watering is done in the field, the dust mulch is resorted 

 to in dry weather, with very good lesults. Very few 

 Carnations are grown indoors during the Summer, in fact 

 none in the immediate vicinity of St. Louis. This mode is 



