COMMERCIAL FLORICULTURE. 



287 



Schrbderianum, if cultivated extensively and well, as is done by a few Continental 

 growers, must prove highly remunerative. Maiden-hair fern was at one time a profit- 

 able speciality, but this is being largely superseded by Cape asparagus, notably A. 

 plumosus nanus and A. Sprengeri, both of which may be extensively grown with 

 advantage. Palms, ferns, small conifers, shrubs, and bedding plants, are all profitable 

 specialities. 



Market growers cannot afford to indulge in fads of any kind. What answers well in 

 private gardens is not always advisable when commercial floriculture is substituted. It 

 is not a question of growing dozens of plants, but rather of thousands, and for the 

 commoner kinds of plants not much fibrous loam, peat or sand should be bought, or 

 even many flower pots washed. Such items add greatly to the cost of production, and 

 cannot be afforded in these days of fierce competition. Soil has not to be obtained by a 

 few barrowfuls, but many cart and waggon loads are required in numerous instances. 

 The market grower, as a rule, has to be content to dig ordinary poor loamy soil from his 

 freehold or holding, adding leaf soil if procurable, partially decayed horse-droppings, 

 charred soil and refuse, mortar rubbish, and even ashes to insure porosity. For choicer 

 kinds of plants the more orthodox mixtures recommended earlier in this work are 

 necessary, and the specialist then spares no expense in soils, clean pots, or any other 

 requisite. A good supply of soft water may be advantageous, but hard water is not 

 such an unmitigated evil as many gardeners seem to imagine : at any rate, large quan- 

 tities of cut flowers and plants of the best quality, supported by hard water, are placed 

 on the markets— such plants that many private gardeners, with soft water at command, 

 would be glad to produce. 



STPJJCTUKES, 



Nurserymen pure and simple favour structures designed solely for the production 

 of pot plants in the best condition possible. Not so the average flower grower. Only 

 specialists can afford to devote their houses to plant-growing ail the year round, and the 

 great majority, as previously intimated, utilise their structures during the summer in 

 the production of cucumbers, tomatoes, or other saleable crops. In many cases the 

 flowers and pot-plants generally are only regarded of secondary importance, and grown 

 rather than have empty houses during the late autumn and winter months ; this plan, 

 moreover, affords employment for men who would otherwise have to be discharged, with 

 the certainty that they would not again be forthcoming at the time when most wanted. 



