SEEDS, PLANTS, BULBS, ETC. 



I 



Chemical preservatives are, of course, used to arrest or de- 

 stroy the germs of fermentation and decay in canned foods, in 

 consequence there is a great temptation to abuse their use to 

 insure the canner's products against deterioration. To such an 

 excess are these antiseptic and germicide ' ' preservatives ' ' some- 

 times used that analysis has proven that the quantity consumed 

 by one person during an average meal exceeds a phj^sician's 

 dose, or sufficient to turn the scale against an invalid or ailing 

 child, although adults in normal health often consume these 

 doses with present impunity, but in time, if their consumption 

 is persisted in, they will have a marked effect upon the system, 

 interfering with the digestive ferments and gastric juices, dis- 

 arranging and often causing ulceration of the stomach, and 

 otherwise impairing digestion, which is responsible for serious 

 subsequent ills. Some, also, have a very deleterious effect upon 

 the blood, others irritate the eyes and mucous membrane. 



Among the many harmful substances used, either alone or in 

 combination, for improving the appearance and preserving fruits, 

 vegetables and foods, we mention the following : 



Alum, hardens and holds to form soft or over-ripe fruits, vegetables, pickles, etc. 



Benzoic acid, an antiseptic that is rapidly replacing the use of salicylic acid in 

 canned soups, vegetables, fruits, catsups, etc. 



Beta-Napthol, Benzoat of Soda, Borax, Boric Acid, are all antiseptics and 

 germicides of marked toxic (poisonous) properties. 



Copperas (green vitrol), very poisonous, used for dyeing and hardening peas, 

 beans, pickles, etc. 



Coal Tar Dyes (Aniline) and Cochineal (dried insects), both are used for coloring 

 fruits, vegetables, etc. 



Formaldehyde, a microbicide extensively used for preserving milk and canned 

 foods. 



Fluorine compounds are extensively used for preserving foods as they commu- 

 nicate no taste, but all are antiseptics of marked toxic (poisonous) action. 



Pyroligneous acid, sometimes called liquid smoke, a creosote production. 



Saccharin, a coal tar product, 500 times sweeter than sugar, used to sweeten 

 corn and other vegetables and fruits. 



Salicylic acid or its sodium compound, Salicylate of Soda, both powerful and 

 very deleterious antiseptics, in fact "slow poisons" (allied to carbolio 

 acid), extensively used to preserve fruit, vegetables, Boston baked beans, 

 cider, wine, etc. 



Sulphurous acid, used to bleach asparagus, corn, mushrooms, etc., very poison- 

 ous and injurious. Its use in foods, wines, ales, etc., being specifically 

 prohibited in most civilized countries — excepting under restrictions for 

 sterilizing wine casks, etc., to prevent fermentation. 



Thus it is shown that many consumers of commercial canned goods "sup on horrors." Is this not a sufficient reason 

 — aside from the pleasure and healthfulness of it — for you to have your own "Garden Beautiful and Garden Bountiful," raise 

 your own flowers, fruits and vegetables for summer and "put up" a sufficient quantity of pure, wholesome, delicious foods and 

 relishes for winter requirements? And may we also remind you that Peter Henderson & Co. supply 



EVERYTHING FOR THE GARDEN. 



Vegetable seeds, lawn seeds, flower seeds, flowering bulbs, ornamental plants, fruit and vegetable plants and gardening 

 accessories, tools, implements, fertilizers, insecticides, etc., as well as books covering all horticultural subjects, all of which are 

 offered in this Catalogue. 



^^F* Henderson's Seeds, etc., are procurable only from us direct. "^Kf 



LUe do not supply our goods to be sold by dealers, storekeepers, etc. 



WE DELIVER FREE in the U. S., to any P. 0., R. R., Express Office or Freight Station, at our option, Vegetable and Flower Seeds, 



Lawn Grass Mixtures, Bulbs and Books, except where otherwise noted. 



PURCHASER PAYS TRANSIT CHARGES only on pints, quarts, pecks, bushels and barrels, and on Farm Seeds, Tools, Implements, Insecticides, etc. 



Full details in regard to the Shipment of Plants are given on Page 117. 



HOW TO ORDER, ETC. 



Remittances should be made either in the form of an Express Money 

 Order, P. O. Money Order, Bank Draft or Registered Letter. 



Customers can also shop by Express, as all express companies have 

 purchasing departments in all their offices. They make no charge, other than 

 usual rates for returning goods. 



Goods wanted C. O. D., must have 25 per cent, of the amount accom- 

 pany the order. 



Give full shipping instructions on each and every order you send. 



Orders from unknown correspondents, without remittance, should be 

 accompanied by New York City references, to save delay. 



By writing out your order on the Order Sheets which accompany this 

 Catalogue, you will greatly facilitate our work. Extra order Sheets mailed on 

 application. 



Be sure to sign your name and give your address. Many orders reach 

 us lacking either or both; customers when writing about unsigned orders will 

 aid us in identification by mentioning some of the articles ordered. 



Every order is filled immediately on arrival, oris acknowledged, if under 

 rare circumstances, its shipment is likely to be delayed for a day or two. If 

 goods, notification of shipment or acknowledgment of order is not received by 

 the customer after a reasonable lapse of time, it may be assumed that the order 

 has miscarried, or that the name or address was omitted from the order. We 

 will, when notified of such a case, use our best efforts to trace it without delay. 



PETER HENDERSON & CO. give no warranty, express or implied, as to 

 description, quality, productiveness, or any other matter of any Seeds, Bulbs 

 or Plants they send out, and they will not be in any way responsible for the 

 crop. If the purchaser does not accept the goods on these terms, they are at 

 once to be returned. 



NO CHARGE FOR PACKING AND SHIPPING. 



We make no charge for packing, cases, baskets or barrels. 



Cloth Bags only we charge for, and these at cost, viz.: 1 peek, 10c.; V2 

 bush., 12c; 1 bush., loc; 2 bush., 20c. All grass seed bags, excepting bags 

 for Timothy and Clover, are furnished free. 



Special packing of seeds for foreign shipments, when necessary, in tin- 

 lined cases or double sacks, we charge for at cost. 



We make no charge for cartage or delivery of goods to any railroad 

 station, steamship line or express office in New York City proper. 



The safe arrival is guaranteed of all goods sent by express to any part 

 of the United States or Canada. 



In regard to the shipment of plants (which we do not deliver free) and 

 about the reduced express rates secured by us for our customers' benefit, see full 

 details on page 117. 



BEWARE OF FRAUDULENT TRAVELING AGENTS.— Every season we 

 have complaints from different sections of the country of parties who fraudu- 

 lently represent us and collect money in our name. Ail remittances should be 

 sent direct to our firm. 



GARDENERS' AND HEAD-FARMERS' SITUATIONS.— We have at all 

 times a number of practical gardeners' and farm managers' names on our book 

 who are in want of situations. If parties desiring such will write to us we shall 

 be glad to put them in communication with men that we deem suitable. To aid 

 us in making a selection we ask full particulars, whether a married or single man 

 is wanted and the nature of the situation to be filled, also about what they 

 expect to pay and any other particulars. We make no charge for this service, 

 either to employer or employee. 



January, 1906. 



CHJIRLES HENDERSOM, President. 



