HORTICULTURE AS A BUSINESS FOR WOMEN. III. 



BUSINESS TRAINING PARTNERSHIPS, WOMEN AS FLORISTS INSTANCES OF SUCCESS. 



E HAVE tried to show how 

 necessary business ability is 

 in horticultural pursuits. 

 At once the question natur- 

 ally arises; "Can women 

 form partnerships in busi- 

 ness as do men, and make it 

 both congenial and profit- 

 able to all concerned ? " 



We are not prepared to 

 answer this question in de- 

 tail, for it involves so much 

 that demands the personal 

 consideration of each one 

 for herself. It is a question whether it would be good 

 business policy for two women not of the same immedi- 

 ate family to form a partnership in horticultural work. 

 Especially would such an alliance be undesirable if one 

 of the contemplated partners had more capital than the 

 other. In business operations among men this frequently 

 causes trouble and quick dissolution, especially if both 

 be equally proficient in the work to be performed. 



In all business partnerships it is much better for 

 each partner to be equally liable with the other and 

 his or her share of the profits and business also equal. 

 With the partners all of the same family, an alliance 

 might be made which would almost assure success. 



One of the most successful local florists in this 

 country owes his success almost entirely to his wife. 

 She is a woman of sound sense, and one possessing an 

 artistic sense which places her in a position to make 

 designs for any desired occasion which are always satis- 

 factory ; to-day she can command her price for any piece 

 of floral decorative work and receive it without ques- 

 tion. Her husband is a skilled propagator and grower 

 of plants, but one who, through lack of business ability 

 and artistic sense would have utterly failed alone in 

 business, or have been obliged to work for others during 

 his days. 



Unfortunately, men have a sense of importance, as 

 foolish as it is uncalled for, which prevents them from 

 giving their wives an opportunity to assist them. Many 

 men have saved their tottering fortunes by confiding in 

 their wives, and many more could have done so 'had they 

 sought for and acted upon wise counsel from the same 

 source. 



We have touched more particularly on fruit-growing, 

 because it seemed to open a field for more women who 

 were in a position to enter the arena than did flower 

 growing. In other words, there are more women living 

 in small towns and villages who have opportunities to 



engage in fruit culture, than there are in these and other 

 localities who could successfully make the venture in 

 flower growing and selling. It hardly seems necessary 

 in these particular papers to minutely describe varieties 

 and methods. A close watch of the pages of The 

 American Garden will give the interested reader all 

 desired information. We have shown in a general way 

 the necessary qualifications to succeed in this work. 

 We have pointed out the advantages and disadvantages 

 of various moves in the work. These directions, it may 

 be well to say, have been gleaned from the leaves of 

 personal experience — experience hard and discourag- 

 ing at first, but after awhile backed by added wisdom, 

 bringing that delightful feeling of independence which 

 comes with success. 



Let us look for a moment at the prospects for women 

 in the lighter, more pleasant, and oftentimes more 

 profitable business of flower growing and selling. Un- 

 doubtedly this branch of horticulture appeals more 

 strongly to women than does fruit culture. It is, as we 

 have said, peculiarly adapted to them. It chimes in 

 particularly well with their naturally artistic ability. 

 Women are at home among flowers more than are men. 

 Why, we hardly know, unless it be that the peculiar 

 delicacy of flowering plants and of flowers, and the 

 clinging tender nature of nearly all of them, is in true 

 accord with woman herself. 



The field of flower growing is full, but like the law, 

 in the words of Daniel Webster, "There is always 

 room at the top." It is true that it takes some capital 

 to start in business as a florist, and with that business 

 are associated many features not always pleasant to the 

 refined woman. But for all this the field is a tempting 

 one and should be more extensively occupied by women 

 than it now is. 



The work in a greenhouse requires a careful, accurate, 

 energetic person and withal one of good taste in the ar- 

 rangement of both plants and cut-flowers. While per- 

 haps the greenhouse part of the question is quite beyond 

 the reach of the average woman, it by no means debars 

 her from flower culture for profit. New York city con- 

 tains many women who make a good living in the floral 

 trade Some of them own greenhouses, but the ma- 

 jority of them do not. Some of them sell their wares 

 on the street corners, others in the corridors of the great 

 theatres. Others still have stores large and small, 

 where they retail the plants and flowers brought daily 

 and weekly from their own little gardens in the suburbs. 

 Many of this class supply those who sell in the street 

 and at public gatherings. Often these latter people are 

 but salesmen for the more fortunate store-keepers. 



