Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-03-15
VIOLET FARMING BY WOMEN
How One New Yorker Made Lif,
Worth Living.

! New York Herald-Violet growing
is comparatively a new branch of in
: duSny for women to engage in, and yet
so successful have those engaged in
this branch Of Horticulture been that to-
day the finest violets brought to New
: York market are raised by women.
There are two thriving violet farms,
managed exclusively by women who
are their respective owners. One is
Meadow Spring farm at Stamford, Ct,
belonging to Mrs. Ned Leavitt, and
the other is the Holmdale violet farm
at Madison, n. j., owned and man
aged by Mrs. Robert B. Holmes.
[ have heard so much of Mrs Holmes
and her violet farm, through the florist
from whom / buy these fragrant bios
SONS, that curiosity impelled me to
pay q visit to Madison, where it is
said every one raises flowers for the
New York market, and the richest
people of the town add to their incomes
by an occasional consignment of rare
flowers to the Fifth avenue and Broad
way dealers.
Crossing the ChristOpher-street ferry
one bright day last week, I took the
train for Madison, which is just an
hours ride from New York. A drive
of mile and a half from the station
brought me to Holmdale, a mansion
most exquisitely appointed and furnish
ed. After waiting for a moment in
the library into which l was ushered
INV TrS
came in.
When I told her that I had come to
ask her about her violet raising she
said she would gladly tell me all she
could about it, for she was SO in love
with the occupation she had chosen
that it was a pleasure to talk about it.
Tell me, Mrs. Holmes, how you
ever came to raise violets in the begin
ming? l am sure you were not COM
PEELED to do it,
NO" said the fair fioriculturist,
Il can't say 1 was compelled or driven
, to do anything for a livelihood. If
you will allow me I will just tell you
how it all came about. Perhaps you
would like to go out to the violet house
where they grow; there we can talk
at the same time"
Going the length of the broad piazza
on the south side of the house and
crossing the lawn we entered one Of
the houses where the sweetest of all
flowers are grown, and here, in the VIC
let-laden atmosphere, Mrs. Holmes told
me how she became grower of these
blueeyed blossoms.
"Some years ago married Robert
B. Holmes, who was, as he Is now, a
Wall street broker. We lived in New
! York, where I was born and had
| always lived. Our life was like that
! of all New York people who are much
in society. 1t was one constant round
of social functions, so hollow and heart
less that I began to get weary of it all,
and longed for more earnest sort of
life. By and by the children began to
come and, strange 20 say, although Mr..
Holmes and I We're both strong and
well, our little ones were delicate.
! Then I persuaded my husband to go
to the country to live, and he did not
need much urging I assure you, FOR he
was as sick of city life as I was. We
had many friends who owned places
out here, so we bought this place eight
years ago and have lived here ever
since.
81 must confess after the novelty
wore off l found country life rather
dull, but that was solely for the want
of occupation. Soon after we lost our
eldest child and you can imagine that
life became more mOnOtonous than
ever.
Il am passionately fond of flowers
and the dear one who had died was sc
fond of violets began raising them il
cold frames, without any idea why
did-iust because I loved the flowers
for her sake.
Il was marvelously successful from
the beginning, I supplied all my neigh
bors and friends in New York will
violets, and I became more and more
interested in the Wrok. Then l Sai(
to myself, why should 1 not raise fol
the markets and try to make som,
money out of it?' SO with my hus
bands consent, I had these house.
: which you see built a little over thre,
e years ago. 1t was really a risky thin.
/ to invest so much in an enterpriS
4 about which I knew so little, but
e have never had any reason to regret il