To determine what should be taught to persons preparing for employment in the horticultural industry, 30 nursery owners or operators chosen from five geographic areas of nursery concentration in Texas were interviewed. The specific objectives were to determine: (1) the most important competencies, (2) the influence of geographic location and size of business upon needed competencies, (3) occupational information for students, and (4) the effect of geographic location and size of business upon length of work week and hourly wages. Analyses of variance and t-test were used in the analysis. The most important competencies were identified in areas of: (1) Identifying Ornamental Plants, (2) Work Relations, (3) Nursery Crop Production, (4) Controlling Plant Insects and Diseases, (5) Merchandising Horticultural Plants and Supplies, (6) Plant Growing Media, and (7) Constructing, Maintaining, and Using Plant Growing Structures. Significant differences existed in the degrees of importance assigned to these seven competency areas among nursery men in the five areas of Texas studied. Persons choosing horticulture as an occupational field must be prepared to work long hours at low wages for a considerable period of time before they can hope to obtain managerial positions. (DM)