VEGETABLE FORCING IN NEW YORK STATE 



H. W. ScHNECK 



Instructor, Department of Vegetable Gardening, Cornell University, 



Ithaca, N. Y. 



SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT 



No other branch of agriculture has 

 made such rapid forward strides during 

 the past decade as has the vegetable forc- 

 ing industry. Twenty years ago one could 

 find only small vegetable houses, and 

 very few of those, near our larger cities; 

 whereas today there are many acres of 

 land farmed under glass. Still there is 

 room for much more development, since 

 the demand for greenhouse products far 

 exceeds the supply during most seasons. 

 Inquiry is often made regarding danger of over supply of green- 

 house products. This is a pertinent question, especially at such 

 times as during the fall of 1912 and the fall of 1914, when lettuce 

 sold for much less than it cost to produce it at the large forcing 

 centers. In these two apparently dull seasons, many small towns 

 throughout the country were not properly supplied with green- 

 house products. During the past fall when lettuce sold for two 

 and one-half cents a pound at Cleveland, it was bringing sixty 

 cents a dozen bunches at many smaller towns. These facts will 

 show at a glance that it is not a question of over-production, but 

 rather a question of proper distribution of the products. 



Another factor to consider with respect to avoiding the danger 

 of gluts on our large markets, is diversification of crops. At the 

 present time there are but three or four crops to which forcing 

 men devote any very considerable attention. These crops, in 

 order of their importance are: lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and 

 radish. Lettuce is grown by nearly all forcing men in fall and 

 winter, when there is least demand for it. As a result, lettuce 

 often brings a low price at this time of the year, especially if the 



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