136 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
some four years ago relative to 
Florida produce in the New York mar¬ 
kets, and what I give below is the sum¬ 
mary of a conversation, one of many, I 
had with the man at the head. 
The season for these vegetables runs 
approximately from the first of Decem¬ 
ber to the first of April, after that date 
produce commences to come in from near¬ 
by points. The quantities of each con¬ 
sumer are very large, and to those who 
do not know the inside workings of these 
large hotels the quantity would seem al¬ 
most fabulous. 
They require: 
Peas, early green, practically all the 
time. A large quantity has to be im¬ 
ported. 
Beans, stringless and green, also lima 
of which a very large quantity is used. 
Lettuce, all the time, Head and Ro- 
maine, especially the latter, of which they 
do not get nearly enough supplied. 
Chicoree, provided it is well bleached 
and the heads are large. 
Egg plant, if of very fine quality and 
unblemished. 
Cabbage, both Flat Dutch and Savoy, 
medium size but very firm. 
Cauliflozuer, small, white and firm. 
Cucumbers, special sort only, not as at 
present grown in Florida, should be 6 
inches to 8 inches long with flesh of a 
greenish tinge. 
Brussels Sprouts, small and firm and 
well closed. 
Celery if firm in heart and really 
bleached. 
Artichokes, (Globe), if fine and large, 
the smaller for garnishing only; the large 
are at present imported from France. 
Analyzing this list, peas and beans are 
being shipped in increasing quantities. 
But do we commence to ship them early 
enough? We can have peas and beans by 
Christmas here, why not grow for that 
season’s market up north as well as for 
the present market. I had on my table 
this winter on Dec. 4th, Henderson’s Full 
Measure (Stringless) bush beans, exactly 
53 days from date of sowing, and I had 
in 40 days from date of sowing (Octo¬ 
ber 12) the first dish of green peas (First 
of All), and the supply of both was con¬ 
tinuous through January into February. 
Then, mark you, I said stringless beans. 
Here is a rut we should get out of, the 
growing of string beans. Why grow 
string beans when we can grow them 
without strings. The first class trade 
demands the stringless variety, principally 
as labor saver. 
Regarding lettuce there is with a cer¬ 
tain trade an insessant and increasing de¬ 
mand for the Romaiine variety. Is enough 
of this grown in Florida? Hardly. The 
tendency to keep to the rut of Boston 
Head is very strong. I sowed Trianon 
Cos on the 16th November last, the seed 
sprouted on the 20th, the plants were 
transplanted on December 21, and I had 
the first lettuce on February 14th, in just 
90 days from seed. By earlier sowing, 
the Romaine being a special early variety, 
the northern markets could be supplied 
in late December. The demand is there 
and the prices capable of being realized 
would warrant shipping by express. 
Chicoree or Endive is another salad 
plant in great demand. The only draw¬ 
back to it is that it is not a very good 
shipper, decay setting in very soon after 
