E. W. TOWNSEND, Strawberry Specialist 

 Townsend's 20th Century Catalog No. 24 in Great Demand 



Long- before the season for setting- plants was over, the supply of catalogs was exhausted, 

 and hundreds of orders were not filled. The demand has continued all through the summer and 

 fall months. Every mail brings requests for the 1914 catalog. 



For this reason I am reprinting a portion of my 1914 book. In all catalogs that I have 

 published it has been my one aim to instruct the grower how to better his condition. To teach 

 him how to grow a better crop. To give him everything that was at my command. By some 

 growers I have been criticized who have stated that their opinion was that the only way in 

 the world to produce a better plant was by enriching the ground in which it was planted. 



This idea is false, and has been proven so in hundreds of thousands of cases, and I shall try 

 to show you, if you have never grown SELECTED plants that I have the right on my side. 

 And if you have ever grown them you need no further words from me. In the past I have 

 printed hundreds of testimonials in my previous catalogs. Many of you have read these, and 

 know what they say about TOWNSEND'S THOROUGHBREDS. 



I am a believer in making the soil rich, and giving the best cultivation. This is indeed very 

 important, and without doing this failure is certain to follow. But I am just as firm in my 

 belief that the selection of plants has more to do with the future crop than even the enriching 

 of the soil. Both work together charmingly. 



In selecting our heaviest and strongest crowned plants, year after year, we get rid of the 

 majority of the barren plants that know nothing, but make a superfluous mass of barren run- 

 ner plants that only tend to smother out the fruitful plants which are in the bed with them. 



One barren plant -will make more runner plants in a season than ten fruitful plants. It is 

 for this reason alone that the fellow that does not practice the selecting and breeding up of 

 plants is able to sell much cheaper than the fellow that uses this method. 



Most every grower no doubt has noticed how freely the wild strawberry plant makes run- 

 ners. And it is my claim if allowed its own way any variety would return to its wild state 

 in the course of time. 



I reprint the following from my 1914 book, No. 24: 



The Home of the Townsend Nursery, From a Small Be- 

 ginning in 1900, Now One of the Largest in the World 



A little less than thirteen years ago I packed and shipped my first crate of strawberry 

 plants. They were shipped under the name of E. W. Townsend & Co. The 20th Century 

 dawn had not made its appearance at this date. The few plants that were grown and shipped 

 by me in the beginning were grown and shipped by the same methods as all other plant grow- 

 ers were using at that time. At this time I was general manager of one of the largest Berry 

 Growers' Companies in the Eastern states. I had the pleasure for several years of unpacking 

 plants from nearly all of the leading plant nurseries in the United States,, and the pleasure of 

 testing hundreds of varieties that were being tried out by this Company, in order to secure the 

 best varieties for use. I took up the plant business as a side line under my own management. 

 My office was flooded each year with almost every strawberry catalog that was printed in the 

 country. I read and reread them all. There was only one in the bunch that came to me each 

 year that appealed to me. This one had the tone of the 20th Century ideas, and seemed to 

 bear on my mind as the only one that a fellow could follow, and in fact had many of my own 

 ideas incorporated. I prepared the soil as this book advised; I ordered plants from this firm: 

 I watched the difference year after year; I read and reread their annual book; I practiced 

 their methods. I was not long in learning a great deal more about plant life than I had ever 

 known before. 



It had been the custom with our firm each year to dig our supply of plants from the middle 

 of the row and let the beds stand for fruiting purposes. This method was practiced year 

 after year, with no thought of plant selection — 'anything was set out in the fields just so it was 

 a plant. 



OUR stock would soon run down, the yield would become lighter each season. It was a 

 byword in every community that certain varieties were not holding up as to productiveness 

 as they did when first introduced, etc. 



THE BEGINNING OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY IDEAS 



My first trial with plants of selected stock proved to me that it was a success from the 

 start. I went into the work with all my heart and soul, mind and strength; determined to see 

 even a greater improvement in plant life. I studied the habits of the strawberry in all its 

 different forms. I found that there were many things necessary to bring about the much 

 needed reforms. In the first place I found that not enough care was being taken in prepar- 

 ing the soil for the crop; second, there was a great improvement to be made by plant selection 

 and plant breeding; third, there had not been the proper methods used in cross fertilization — 

 these were the main points that I found wanting in order to produce a better and larger 

 crop of fruit. 



I will take up first the three important points as in order above and try to explain the 

 methods used in growing Townsend's Thoroughbreds, why they are called Thoroughbreds, and 

 why they have gained a nationwide reputation. 



PREPARING THE SOIL 



In order that the soil shall be prepared in proper condition the work must begin one year 

 in advance of the selling of the plants. In the first place, the soil should be plowed deep and 

 put in fine, mellow condition. The proper plant foods should be applied as the soil may need. 

 Here we find a great many remedies, and it is necessary, as we must surely find a great many 

 different kinds of soil and conditions of soil. Some need lime and, in fact, in most cases lime 

 is needed. Where lime is needed we should apply at least two tons per acre. I prefer lime 

 in the raw state, as it then begins its active work just when it is needed most. Wood ashes 

 may be used with like effect, and sometimes come handy. When ashes are used we use accord- 

 ing to the strength of the ashes: If good, hard wood ashes, four tons per acre; if pine or 

 soft wood ashes, more may be used. All this should be thoroughly incorporated in the soil before 

 the leguminous crop is planted. Potatoes, Tomatoes, Cow Peas or Vetch make good legumi- 



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