Volume 3 Article 5 Number 10 The Iowa Homemaker vol.3, no.10

1923 Modern Women and Floriculture - Flower Growing is Interesting to Homemakers, But May Also Serve as a Profession E. C. Volz Iowa State College

Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/homemaker Part of the Home Economics Commons

Recommended Citation Volz, E. C. (1923) "Modern Women and Floriculture - Flower Growing is Interesting to Homemakers, But May Also Serve as a Profession," The Iowa Homemaker: Vol. 3 : No. 10 , Article 5. Available at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/homemaker/vol3/iss10/5

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Publications at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in The oI wa Homemaker by an authorized editor of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE IOWA HOMEMAI[ER 3

Apples, the bounty of the Lord! The but there is seldom much danger or a subject of health is the matter of drink­ dozens of apple r ecipes found in house­ lack of meat in the average American ing water. If there is any one thing l:1olds speaks of the popularity of this diet. The affinity of the American for· his that serves as showers from the clouds fruit. Apple fritters, apple pie, fried ap­ steak is well known. of health, that one is water. Indoor life ples, baked apples, candied apples, apple It is this heavy use of meat and starchy and cold temperatures· do not lead one sauce, Waldorf salad, apple tapioca and foods, the small use of vegetables and to drink much water during January. Brown Betty offer this excellent food in fruit, so characteristic of many winter Exceedingly helpful is the drinking be­ tempting disguise. "An apple a day diets that make for weakened vitality and fore breakfast habit and as many glasses keeps the doctor away" indicates the high susceptibility. Grandmother resort­ during the day as can be consumed, at faith many have in this fruit. ed to tonics that would vie with the pro­ 1east eight. These food hints make no pretense of ducts of the witches' cauldron but a care­ No one of the suggested health hints covering all the mineral possibilities. ful diet should keep one so fit that there will alone be effective but the use of all, They merely call attention to those that is no need of special tonics. with emphasis on having sufficient miner­ perhaps might be slighted. Meat, parti­ Somewhat distantly related to this topic als in the diet may save you from one, two cularly lean beef, could be mentioned here in general but very closely related to the or more of "those beastly colds."

Modern Women and Floriculture Flower Growing is Interesting to Homemakers, But May Also Serve as a Profession By E. C. VOLZ, Department of Horticulture

LORICULTURE is best defined as the an educational environment, the follow- for home ornament. The proper ar­ F art and science of growing flowers . ing possibilities present themselves: Ex­ rangement of these cut flowers and and ornamental plants. Demands for in· periment station work and teaching in plants within the home is expected of formation on this subject come from two agricultural colleges where floriculture every housewife. distinct groups of people. One group is is a major subject. Fundamental train­ It is not as easy to grow flowers in the professional and includes greenhouse ing in the growing of flowers is often a average living room as it is in the florist's men, wholesale and retail florists, seeds· prerequisite to teaching positions in greenhouse ; therefore, the amateur flow­ men, nurserymen and bulb growers. The botany and nature study work in primary er lover must have fundamental training other group is largely composed of ama· and high schools. Many women are profit­ in plant growing. Knowing how to over­ teur flower lovers and home gardeners. ing by their knowledge of floriculture by come the attacks of plant insects and 'n is natural for woman to love flowers writing for various magazines and news­ diseases is of great value in making the and many· a member of the fair sex is papers. Some famous books on floricul­ home flower garden and conservatory a more than an admirer of roses, crysan· ture were written by women. Mrs. success. The unlimited variety of plants themums, dahlias or gladioli. Some ac· Frances King, Louise Shelton, Grace Ta­ and seeds listed in seed and nursery cata­ tually grow these flowers to such a state bor, Helena Rutherford Ely and Harriet logs presents a veritable Chinese puzzle of perfection that many a professional L. Keeler are writers whose books on to the inexperienced gardener. florist would be ashamed to place his flower growing will be found in every Many homemakers get all of their gar­ greenhouse product in competition with horticultural library. den education in the school of experience. This is a very slow process and the fail­ them. It is this near-professional type of Floriculture for Homemakers amateur grower that prompted the writ­ ures encountered often completely dis­ ing of this article. Floriculture means The typical American home is not lim­ courage the beginner. A safer method more to some women than a mere hobby. ited to activities within the house. The of solving the house plant and garden To many, it is a profession and an ex­ development of yard and garden plays a problems is to rely upon your Agricul­ tremely interesting one. very important part, and the wise home­ tural College and Experiment station. maker will prepare herself to cope with The staff in floriculture recognizes the Floriculture as a Profession for Women these outdoor problems. The kitchen predicament of the inexperienced ama­ In choosing floriculture as a profession, garden, the outdoor flower garden and teur and is willing to render as much as­ both men and women have three fields of the window garden all require a special sistance as possible by means of publi­ activity in which to find themselves. IT knowledge if they are to be developed to cations, special lectures and courses in sufficient capital is available a private the utmost. The products of these gar­ home gardening designed to meet the enterprise would naturally make the dens in the form of cut flowers are used needs of the average Iowa homemaker. greatest appeal. Growing flowers for the retail or wholesale market is espe­ cially profitable. Some growers special­ ize in one flower, as roses, violets or car­ nations. An example of woman's success in special flower growing is to be found near Lansing, Michigan. The lady in question began growing a few violets in coldframes and within several years was supplying a large number of retail flor­ ists with violets for their store trade. Other private flower enterprises include the operation of r etail stores and seed stores. If the college graduate in floriculture is minus sufficient capital to go into bus­ iness for himself or herself, it is possible to find positions with various types of floral concerns. There are usually open­ ings for managers of retail stores and greenhouse ranges. Many women are em­ ployed as expert floral designers in some of the large city stores. Students with sufficient knowledge of plant breeding principles are usually in demand in the various branches of the seed industry. To the person who prefers to live in Flowers should be a part of every Iowa home garden.