These buildings may be constructed of any material most convenient and economical, but the principle of insulation must always be carefully considered. If the buildings are of brick, stone or concrete, this insulation may be secured by air chambers in the walls and roof ; if the buildings are of lumber, paper may be used for insulation, making three or four air-chambers, and protecting the paper outside and inside with lumber. This makes one of the cheapest and most satisfactory buildings, although the brick, stone or cement is more durable. Gravel roofs and good air spaces in the roofs may be recommended.
To meet the requirements of the laws of many of the states, a fumigating house or room must be built. This should be separate from other buildings and constructed according to approved plans, and may cost from fifty dollars up.
Plenty of water should be at command at all times. If it cannot be had from city waterworks, private supplies should be installed, by engine or windmill, with sufficient tank capacity to insure a constant supply ; and this should be so distributed as to be accessible in every part of the buildings. Packing material, rye-straw and lumber for boxes must be supplied in liberal quantities. Moss, excel sior, straw, and shavings are used for packing.
The storage and work rooms may be built at a cost of $1,500 and upwards, depending on the volume of business contemplated. Small office room may be secured by cutting off part of the work room, or in a separate building, the expense being governed by circumstances.
In addition to the above, provision has to be made for the nursery-stock or seed that is to be planted and grown. This will be governed entirely by the nature of the business contemplated, loca tion and other factors, and must be considered separately for each individual case. One can very soon succeed in investing $5,000 or $10,000 in the nursery business, and then find that he has not very much of a nursery. Yet there are many large nurseries that were started on much less cash capi tal than this, but which, with good judgment, en ergy and grit, soon found the capital to enlarge and extend the business as circumstances war ranted.
Organization of a Commercial Nursery Business.
The purpose of this article is to show the proper distribution of capital to equip, operate and main tain a nursery to cover 200 acres of land, to be planted complete in three years, starting with a capital of $50,000. In the organization of a com mercial nursery of such size, sufficient capital should be provided to plant 140 acres and operate the growing department for the first two years, or during its non-productive period, and also to erect suitable packing, storage and office buildings ; and, after the first year, to establish and operate a complete sales department.
After organization has been effected and capital provided, if an incorporated company, the stock holders meet and elect directors, who in turn elect officers whose business it is, with the advice of the directors, to arrange the permanent plans and business organization of the company. Usually, in
case of a corporation, a general manager is ap pointed, who may be one of the officers or directors or may be chosen from outside because of personal fitness for the work in hand. Again, the directors may act as an advisory board or executive com mittee, resting the responsibility from the differ ent departments directly on themselves, and direct ing the affairs of the company without the assist ance of a general manager ; or, in case of an individual owner, he may himself assume the posi tion of general manager and direct the work of the different departments, receiving the reports from the heads of each division.
Whether it be general manager, advisory board, executive committee or individual owner on whom devolves the responsibility of the working organi zation, such person, or persons, must be thoroughly conversant with the intricacies and have a practi cal knowledge of all details of the nursery busi ness in both field and office, so that he may econo mize time and lessen cost without detracting from the efficiency of the forces under him or lower the standard of quality of the article produced.
The man on whom rests the responsibilty of the management of a commercial nursery should be a general in every sense of the word. It has been well said, To the active participant, the commer cial battles on the field of modern business are no less picturesque than the struggles for military supremacy. The powers of command, the routes of authority, the training and distribution of men in the field of action and the regulation of the forces, may not improperly be compared to those of an army." The nursery farm now under consideration is presumed to have the entire acreage planted in three years. The seventy acres set aside for the first year's planting should include a complete line of nursery products that will thrive in the section in which the nursery is located, containing fruit trees, seedlings to be budded or grafted later of all the varieties desired to be propagated, together with a full line of ornamental trees, shrubs, vines, roses, and the like. This first planting should be duplicated the second year, leaving sixty acres to be planted the third year to complete the two hun dred. The reason why it is not necessary to plant so large an acreage the third year as the first and second, is because of the slower-growing kinds, especially in ornamental trees and shrubs, as these classes contain many kinds that are carried in stock for a number of years, while the fruit-tree stock is disposed of in two or three years. The surplus shown in the stock book at the end of the second year will indicate the classes and varieties left over after the first year's sales, and will be the guide for the third year's planting.