A Word About 
GRAVEL CULTURE 
Vic 
Much talked about, much 
written about, gravel or 
soilless culture was pre¬ 
sented to the trade by Pur¬ 
due University just 4 years 
ago. First hailed by the 
rank and file as a panacea 
for our soil ills, experience 
has shown that, rather than 
simplifying our soil prob¬ 
lems, it calls for mastery 
of a new way of growing 
in some respects more diffi¬ 
cult and exacting than time 
honored soil culture. A few, 
probably not over 20 or 25 
growers in all, have, thru 
study or schooling and ex¬ 
perience, acquired what 
knowledge is available and with it an inkling of what soilless culture will 
have to offer once it passes its ‘‘growing pains.” 
About 12,000 sq. ft. of our range of today is devoted to soilless work. On 
the basis of careful records accumulated over 31/2 years, we find the total 
cost of converting a house already equipped with wooden benches over to 
gravel to be about 12c per sq. ft.—including waterproofing, motor and pump, 
clock, tank, fittings, etc. This cost is spread or “depreciated” over about 
ten years, so will add about 5% to our annual costs. Saving in watering, 
cultivating, weeding, etc. will decrease costs about 15% leaving a net sav¬ 
ing of around 10%,—quite considerable in the face of today’s close mar¬ 
gins. We should add to this saving an increase in yield and quality of 
perhaps 15 to 20%—and you see why gravel culture is an encouraged 
project wherever costs are kept. 
Not too fast tho! We are free in stating that the small scale and 
experimental nature of our gravel crops thus far have kept most of them 
in the red. A recent installation of around 6,000 sq. ft. all in gravel will 
definitely determine the practicability of large scale operations. 
These are problems we try to do our share in solving. Whatever we 
may learn is yours for asking. We like to call it “Ball Service.” 
Young Carnation plants just getting "under way” in gravel at 
West Chicago. Our plantings for this year include around 2000 
of them in gravel, also Mums, Snaps, Geraniums, and Stocks 
in season. Glad to have you look them over. 
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