WE HAVE tried to show how necessary business ability is in horticultural pursuits. At once the question naturally arises ; "Can women form partnerships in business as do men, and make it both congenial and profitable to all concerned ?"

We are not prepared to answer this question in detail, for it involves so much that demands the personal consideration of each one for herself. It is a question whether it would be good business policy for two women not of the same immediate family to form a partnership in horticultural work. Especially would such an alliance be undesirable if one of the contemplated partners had more capital than the other. In business operations among men this frequently causes trouble and quick dissolution, especially if both be equally proficient in the work to be performed.

In all business partnerships it is much better for each partner to be equally liable with the other and his or her share of the profits and business also equal. With the partners all of the same family, an alliance might be made which would almost assure success.

One of the most successful local florists in this country owes his success almost entirely to his wife. She is a woman of sound sense, and one possessing an artistic sense which places her in a position to make designs for any desired occasion which are always satisfactory ; to-day she can command her price for any piece of floral decorative work and receive it without question. Her husband is a skilled propagator and grower of plants, but one who, through lack of business ability and artistic sense would have utterly failed alone in business, or have been obliged to work for others during his days.

Unfortunately, men have a sense of importance, as foolish as it is uncalled for, which prevents them from giving their wives an opportunity to assist them. Many men have saved their tottering fortunes by confiding in their wives, and many more could have done so had they sought for and acted upon wise counsel from the same source.

We have touched more particularly on fruit-growing, because it seemed to open a field for more women who were in a position to enter the arena than did flower growing. In other words, there are more women living in small towns and villages who have opportunities to engage in fruit culture, than there are in these and other localities who could successfully make the venture in flower growing and selling. It hardly seems necessary in these particular papers to minutely describe varieties and methods. A close watch of the pages of The American Garden will give the interested reader all desired information. We have shown in a general way the necessary qualifications to succeed in this work. We have pointed out the advantages and disadvantages of various moves in the work. These directions, it may be well to say, have been gleaned from the leaves of personal experience - experience hard and discouraging at first, but after awhile backed by added wisdom, bringing that delightful feeling of independence which comes with success.

Let us look for a moment at the prospects for women in the lighter, more pleasant, and oftentimes more profitable business of flower growing and selling. Undoubtedly this branch of horticulture appeals more strongly to women than does fruit culture. It is, as we have said, peculiarly adapted to them. It chimes in particularly well with their naturally artistic ability. Women are at home among flowers more than are men. Why, we hardly know, unless it be that the peculiar delicacy of flowering plants and of flowers, and the clinging tender nature of nearly all of them, is in true accord with woman herself.

The field of flower growing is full, but like the law, in the words of Daniel Webster, "There is always room at the top." It is true that it takes some capital to start in business as a florist, and with that business are associated many features not always pleasant to the refined woman. But for all this the field is a tempting one and should be more extensively occupied by women than it now is.

The work in a greenhouse requires a careful, accurate, energetic person and withal one of good taste in the arrangement of both plants and cut-flowers. While perhaps the greenhouse part of the question is quite beyond the reach of the average woman, it by no means debars her from flower culture for profit. New York city contains many women who make a good living in the floral trade. Some of them own greenhouses, but the majority of them do not. Some of them sell their wares on the street corners, others in the corridors of the great theatres. Others still have stores large and small, where they retail the plants and flowers brought daily and weekly from their own little gardens in the suburbs. Many of this class supply those who sell in the street and at public gatherings. Often these latter people are but salesmen for the more fortunate store-keepers.

Then too, there are others who do a general flower and plant commission business. In this case they are much more pleasant to deal with than some of the men in the same line of trade, and what is still more satisfactory to the consignor of cut-flowers the returns are more promptly made and in more satisfactory sums than from men in the same business.

One instance of success is that of a woman left early in life with a family of small children to support. Her husband had been a florist in a modest way, a few miles from the city. He had a small greenhouse and a few hot-beds with an acre of land. Even this small property was nearly covered by a mortgage. The wife carried on the modest business, increasing it, with the help of her sister to care for the children, by selling flowers at one of the large railroad stations in New York. She was energetic and frugal, and after a few years opened a small store on one of the avenues in the city. Little by little her trade increased. Her children grew up and were educated, but being made to do their part in the work on the little farm at home. At this writing that woman is wealthy, and her wealth has come entirely from this business of growing and selling flowers.

Others in every city of this great country have accomplished great things in this line and others still will continue to do it. There are opportunities in every large town for work of this kind, if women will but take the means at their command, small though they may be, putting aside the false and foolish pride which forces uppermost in their minds the question "What will people say?" Gird on the armor of respectability and good common sense and strike out in this or any other field which leads to health and a comfortable living!

Why not women in horticulture ? They occupy other fields, once wholly filled by men, and occupy them in a most satisfactory manner.

The Patrons of Husbandry are taking up and acting upon the question of women's work as connected with their order. Nor are the women of the Grange confined to the work of assisting men. They strike out in a line of their own. Chautauqua, that scientific and literary circle which has worked so much good to the women of the country has added to its "days" "A National Grange Day." Everything is pointing to the better education of women in the fields wherein lies the opportunities of earning money, and horticulture and kindred industries are by no means the least of these desirable ends. One Who Has Tried.

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