This range of glass established in a rural community pays its owner nearly $3,000 a year 



Making a Greenhouse Pay— By w. h. Jenkins, 



New 

 York 



AN INSTANCE OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE GREENHOUSE INDUSTRY IN A REMOTE SMALL COMMUNITY BY A REASON- 

 ABLE ADJUSTMENT OF OUTPUT TO THE DEMAND WHICH WAS STIMULATED BY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE INDUSTRY 



TTHERE seems to be a strong allurement 

 -'- in the idea of producing plants under 

 glass for sale. It would appear to be 

 so patent that with the conditions of 

 heat and cold under control the pro- 

 ductive capacity of a given area can be 

 increased in regular mathematical ratio. 

 But the fact is many ventures fail. The 

 reasons seem to be (i) lack of proper 

 market; (2) an insufficient knowledge of 

 market peculiarities; and (3) ignorance of 

 the methods of plant culture. With these 

 factors properly held in view that a profit- 

 able venture can be established, is illus- 

 trated in the case that follows. 



That a commercial greenhouse enter- 

 prise can be supported in a community 

 of only a few thousand inhabitants has 

 been demonstrated in the case of one 

 establishment loca- 

 ted in a village in 

 Western New York. 

 Beginning in a very 

 small way as an 

 adjunct to market 

 gardening, interest 

 centered more and 

 more in the pro- 

 ducts of coldframes, 

 and gradually 

 larger and more 

 pretentious glass 

 structures were 

 developed, until to- 

 day a good-sized 

 plant is regularly 

 operated which 

 pays a reasonable 

 interest on the 

 investment and a 

 reasonable salary to 

 .the owner. 



To be successful a 

 venture of this kind 

 must, of course, be 



planned in a neighborhood which fulfills cer- 

 tain requirements. There must be a local 

 demand. In the case of Mr. Tripp's ven- 

 ture the country village was of about 5,000 

 people only moderately wealthy, the greater 

 portion indeed being tho.se of small means. 

 On the other hand, nearly every residence 

 had a small garden with opportunities for 

 indulging in the growing of flowers and vege- 

 tables, and the advent of the greenhouse 

 was a stimulus to greater efforts among 

 the residents. With these given conditions 

 there is a constant action and reaction, the 

 demand creating the supply and increased 

 supply stimulating still further demand. 



It was sixteen years ago that the owner, 

 in conjunction with some other local 

 business, was stUl engaged in market 

 gardening in a small way on some ten or 



Seeciiiugs of garden vegetables raised by the thousands find a ready market in early spring 



twelve acres of ground. The returns were 

 fairly satisfactory, but there wag no oppor- 

 tunity for increase of output. The branch- 

 ing from this type of production to the 

 more intensive cultivation under glass 

 arose as the result of a response from the 

 neighbors to the opportunity that was 

 offered in the sale of vegetable plants. 

 Naturally, more seedlings were started 

 each year than could actually be accommo- 

 dated in the market garden. The surplus 

 was offered for sale in the village and found 

 a ready reception. 



The direct incentive to production in 

 frames was the demand of the purchasers 

 for vegetable plants earlier than could 

 naturally be produced in the open ground. 

 They themselves could grow them out- 

 doors just as easily; what these amateurs, 

 gardening on a small 

 scale, really wanted 

 was something 

 which would save 

 them the labor of 

 seed starting and 

 give them an oppor- 

 tunity to get their 

 gardens established 

 a little bit earlier 

 than under ordinary 

 conditions. 



With the facilities 

 offered them in the 

 market garden, 

 frames and hotbeds 

 were soon estab- 

 lished. The demand 

 is for tomatoes, cel- 

 ery, cabbage, cauli- 

 flower, and such like 

 — things that nearly 

 everybody can use 

 and really wants, liv- 

 ing in the country. 



On anything like a 



224 



