The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-14
FORTUNES IN FLOWERS.
Bhrcwd Men Who Raise Roses Tor PROF.
Near New York.

Ncnr new uOrA.
Especial Corrcspondencc.1
SUMMIT, N. j., Aug. New Jersey was
never In tho front rank Of agricultural
states. In these days OF cheap tlunsporta-
tion, although their lands lie between the
two great markets Of Philadelphia md
New York, New Jersey farmers find 1t
more md moro difficult year after year TO
successfully compete with the farmers Of
the west or even OF New York state. Fruit
raising, truck gardening md the develop
ment of suburban towns and summer re-
sorts have been found to be far more profit
able lines Of effort than farming.
Here and ut Madison, not far away,
shrewd men are making small fortunes in
flowers. Roses are especially profitable,
and the great mass Of the roses taken
daily and on festive and social occaaions by
New Workers comes from these two places.
The cultivation OF roses AS a business was
begun here perhaps q dozen years ago, but
it's marked increase is q matter of COM
paratively recent date. Although the sup
ply has increased enormously In the last
three Or four years, 1t has not more than
kept pace with the demand, for New
Workers. arc grent lovers of roses, and their
fondness for the ''guecn Of flowers" is
growing rather than the reverse.
The rose houses of Summit and Madison
will no doubt now compare favorably with
those of the most famous rosegrowers of
Europe, and it is gratifying to know that
in these two places the Americans who
have engaged in the business have kept
abreast Of their competitors of foreign
birth, especially in forcing early blooms.
1t is not SO in many places in the United
States. A large proportion of the %foricul-
turists Of this country are Germans, who
before they came here were gardeners in
the employ OF members of the nobility.
Flower growing is among the chief fads Of
titled Germans, and as they are generally
men of great wealth who raise flowers for
their own amusement and the pleasure of
their friends only they are able to make
many experiments which would not be
commercially profitable, but which often
result in new and delightful varieties of
flowers. Their gardeners of course receive
excellent training, and when they come to
America to engag in commercial fioricul-
ture they enjoy great advantages over the
average American flower raiser, who gen.
orally has to learn whatever he knows
about flowers after he has gone into the
business.
Next to roses chrysanthemums perhaps
are raised here more than any other flow
ers. At all events, there is a large output
of this beautiful Japanese favorite every
autumn. Besides there is a considerable
business lone in this vicinity in the raising
of orchids. The profitable nature of flower
raising has become SO generally understood
in this part of New Jersey that many per-
CONS have gone into it on q small scale, not
u few of them being New York business
men who reside in this vicinity and nave
added Conservatives to their houses, where
they raise enough for all their own needs
and have a surplus for sale which some
times pays all the expense of the conserva-
tory and furnishes q small profit besides.
l.. C. REYNOLDS.