32 



BOSTON MARKET-GARDENERS' GREENHOUSES. 



the services of the dealers, who in reality are only 

 shippers, the business could soon be placed on a more 

 remunerative basis, and elevated to an American 

 standard. 



The only real advantage which the Kalamazoo peo- 

 ple have over growers elsewhere, possessing suitable 

 celery soil, is the reputation of the Kalamazoo product; 

 but this is offset by several serious disadvantages, es- 

 pecially (i) the high tax they are compelled to pay to 

 middlemen and express companies, in consequence of a 

 wholesale production which demands the whole United 

 States for a market and calls for long-distance ship- 

 ments, and (2) the great local demand for manure 

 which results in prices that are far more favorable to 

 the seller than to the buyer and user. 



Why should people in other localities, with soil just 

 as suitable, and good retail markets much nearer home, 

 not be able to compete successfully with the Kalamazoo 



people ? There are thousands of places in the United 

 States where celery-growing, even on an American 

 plan, can be made twice as profitable as it is in Kala- 

 mazoo. Let whoever doubts it, visit the John F. White 

 celery patch of 35 acres near Mount Morris, N. Y., 

 and see the fine stalks that are far superior to the 

 average Kalamazoo product, and sell readily at 30 

 cents per dozen, wholesale. Here, of course, the whole 

 business is systematized. Horse-power and improved 

 implements and devices reduce the labor account to a 

 minimum, and accidental irrigation privileges are 

 utilized to the fullest extent. But all such opportun- 

 ities are also found in many other places. 



On the whole, we believe there are plenty of openings 

 for specialty gardening, not only in these but in many 

 other lines. It only remains for the shrewd grower to 

 discover and take hold of them, to his own profit and 

 the general benefit. 



BOSTON MARKET -GARDENERS' GREENHOUSES. 



HOW BUILT FAIR CROPS THE SEASON S SERVICE. 



THE hotbed as an adjunct of the market-gardener 

 has seen its best days. It is being superseded by 

 the greenhouse. A few years ago it was common 

 to make yearly additions to the stock of hotbed glass : 

 the day came when, owing to their large number, there 

 was very little profit in the produce raised. Then the 

 greenhouse sprang into existence, and some of the ven- 

 tures have proved highly profitable. At first it wasthought 

 necessary to build quite low, that the glass might be 

 near the crop as in hotbed culture, but this was an 

 error. To-day the houses are carried higher, with 

 advantage to the crop. 



Some early constructors endeavored to utilize their 

 hotbed sash, but to no avail. The closeness of the 

 ribs obscured the light, especially when the sun's rays 

 struck the roof obliquely. 



Heating has had several changes. At first, the four, 

 inch cast-iron hot-water pipes were used. Since it has 

 been found difficult to control the heat of a house by 

 the use of so large a body of water, steam-heating was 

 substituted, with an increase in the cost of the fuel. 

 For the last two years a newer mode of heating is being 

 adopted, namely, that of hot water circulating through 

 two inch wrought-iron pipes. Owing to the smaller 

 amount of water contained in the pipes, and with the 

 aid of valves, the heat in the houses can be controlled 

 quite as readily as in steam-heating, and this at less cost 

 for fuel. The pipe ascends gradually on its way entirely 

 around the house, until it gets back directly over the 

 boiler, where it makes a direct descent, thus favoring a 

 rapid circulation of the water — so rapid, in fact, that the 

 difference noticed in heat between the flow and return 

 is but fifteen degrees. Expansion and contraction are 

 provided for by a small open tank above the boiler, into 

 which the water flows from the boiler in a ^-inch pipe. 



the tank being fed from the hydrant by the aid of a 

 float attached to cork, thus keeping the water in the 

 tank at a certain level. 



The size of glass has increased of late. It is the aim 

 to have the ribs far asunder, so that the sun's rays will 

 be impeded as little as possible during short days. In 

 a few cases the ribs have been placed so far apart that 

 a heavy snow has broken the glass, but ijow the limit of 

 size is 16 by 24 inches ; to dispose of the objectionable 

 cold drip caused by condensation, the ribs are grooved, 

 thus forming gutters which carry the water into a 

 trough on the lower sill. 



These houses are built in lean-to style, 30 feet wide 

 inside. The back elevation is 12 feet, and the front five 

 feet. The bed for cultivation is upon the solid bottoms 

 without bottom heat. The walks are arranged nearest 

 the front or back, thus making one wide bed in center ; 

 and to facilitate the working, a movable plank is used, 

 one end resting on the heating-pipe that runs through the 

 center, while the other end rests upon the side planking 

 of the walks. 



Lettuce is the principal crop raised during October, 

 November, December and January, and cucumbers from 

 February to July i. It is usual to raise three crops, 

 of lettuce before putting the house to cucumbers — one 

 crop coming off about Thanksgiving or December i, 

 another about January 15, a third about February 15. 



Price for the first crop rarely exceeds 50 cents a dozen ; 

 for the next crop often $1 per dozen is realized, but 75 

 cents is about the average. So with a house say 200 

 feet long, with plants 8 inches apart, these three crops 

 sum up a pretty snug amount. 



Part of the house, however, has to be used tor grow- 

 ing plants. It is the custom when one crop is trans- 

 planted, to sow seed broadcast for the next crop. These 



