New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-12
JAPS AS BULB DEALERS.
Forging Ahead of the Dutch-Big
Spring Demand.

This backward spring has compelled the seed
and plant shops of Manhattan to keep open away
time one of the largest. if not the largest,
Of the purveyors to suburbanites has been work
Ing day and night to supply the demand from New
Jersey, The Bronx and Long Island, where every
individual householder is laying in a supply of
plants and bulbs for his pleasure in the months
before the begins to fly The demand for
plants. etc. a yearly expenditure in this
city of more than &000,d10
When the number of suburban residents who till
their gardens, under the impression that they
know something about gardening and believe that
they will be able to something in market gar
dening bills, Is computed; also, If the NUMBER VINO
send from all over the country TO Manhattan, be
lieving that this is the only place to get garden
supplies of all kinds is considered, the total sum
does not seem large
Il is of course not right say that the New
York suburbante gets seeds and plants to delight
his eyes altogether. lie has another object IN
view namely to decorate his table and to get
ahead of his high priced market gardener Tor
there are few suburbanites who do not believe that
they can raise lettuce. tomatoes, eggplant musk
melon. spinach, potatoes, cabbage pumpkins, on
ions, sweet corn, etc, cheaper than IL Wou'u De
possible to buy them. And in fact when the COM
mercial value is placed upon things raised III one
own garden. plus the value of personal satstac-
ton and freshness of the produc" the average
suburbanite is right lie saves money. lie adds
to the peace and comfort Of his family and he
also adds beyond computation in cost to his health
and his satisfaction by ms nome SarGeHUlS pam
The suburbante may have only twenty feet
square in which to cfrcumvent the market gar
dener. He may have more room But the produce
secured from that little plot could not possibly be
placed In the scale with the ordinary output OF
the sordid meadow gardener of Long Island or
New Jersey. That is the way the suburbante
looks at this particular part of the economic prop
lem of life and he may be as ignorant OF Ada'l
Smith as he generally is of potato bugs or any oil
the other insects that seem to have been born TO
daSfr ito nd
Of mind OF the husbandman.
But when the market garden has been piah'eo'
then the real head of the house comes 10 III"
| front She wants flowers, and she Gets them II
so happens that there is che particular tavorlf
this wear the gladolus It Is beautiful. but when
madame looks her catalogue she Usually de
cdes on the same old sweetpeGs, the same variety
of nasturtiums, the same pansies. and then she
will want many Of the other old, familiar. memory
invoking flowers like lady slippers bachelors but
tons sweet williams. hoilyhOcks. miGnonet'e' ana
And she Will tell the head OF the house mat
he may worry about his market garden all he
plcases but that she must have time TO cultivate
her flowers for the table. and she has her way.
There is not a seed and plant store in the city
that is not overwhelmed with orders at TINS tlil'
They have more than they can do. and VIII De
busy until well toward June. And 1t is long before
the first of the year when the local dealers bes"
to get ready for the spring rush In this city NO"
the fun rush is on and after the let-up comes J.
will be only few months before the dealers VIII
Here. where everything that is good on EARN
hndq its way the dealers are IN touch win IN
bulb growers OF all nations. The japanese are
giving the Hoanders all they can DO TO MAINTAIN
their old rank. There time WHeI tHt man
near Amsterdam controlled the bulb markets or Wy
world hut ut that time the japanese were ihnueh'
to be only benght"d AeathenS- inc Jhpan'S',
however. have taken UP bulb cultivation. anui ~
they are especially proficient ia growing IlIIkS
where pateuc. counts as much fertilizer. pruh,
ing and general all around care II iF only MAJ al
that they should forge to the front Ihus II u
that Holland the bulb centre OF the WORD from
a remote period up almost the present uHle. -
threatened by tho little brown NpponeS". WE"
seem TO have n faculty for doing well almost any
thing that the European thought n" couId q" of''''
than any body else In the world.
Their. was a time also when the bulb growers or
Holland sent their produce to this country. Just as
the Rerruudan sends his potatoes They wete
dumped upon wharf here ana auCtioned on 20
the highest bidder. This is stil done 10 some eh
tent but the real big seller here has ms own
growers in Holland now and tho bulbs are shipped
to the dealers and there Is 20 INTERN" diary 20
raise the cost 10 thu amateur grower. Inc use OF
bulbs here IS increasing steadily and this mas nt'h
almost a record year; but tho season mas. pIa'
tiCally rassed as they must be placed IN the
ground in he fall Of the year 20 get IN" BEST