<l Cl^rk'5- : -E£vrIy:-M^Iodon-:-Corn. t> 



It gives me great pleasure to offer my customers 

 for the first time this year, what I consider to be tlie 

 finest and best large-eared Early Yellow 

 Dent Corn in America. Early Mastodon will 

 be found to combine large yield, large grains, and 

 extra earliness to a remarkable degree, better 

 than any other variety. It originated with 

 Mr. C. S. Clark, of Wakeman, Ohio, probably the 

 largest grower of field and sweet corn for seed 

 purposes iu America, as Mr. Clark ships annually 

 seed corn by the hundred car-loads. Mr. Clark 

 .grows every variety of corn known to the 

 American public, and in Mastodon he claims to 

 have THE BEST OF ALL,. In describing 

 Mastodon, I cannot do better than quote as follows 

 from a letter from Mr. Clark, now before me : 



" The Early Mastodon Corn, named Mastodon, 

 ■because of its large ears, is a cross between the 

 White Cap and the Early Roe Dent Corn, and has 

 been brought to its present standard by careful selec- 

 tion. The seed trade and large growers of field 

 ■corn have for many years been anxiously inquir- 

 ing for a large-eared, yet early Dent Com, and to 

 supply their wants I have for years been studying 

 it up, and until I got up this corn was not fully 

 satisfied. Many sorts have been tried and found 

 wanting. In the Mastodon your customers will 

 find a high-bred corn, of beautiful color, and one 

 which will please them. J claim for this corn the 

 large>t number of rows on cob, and the deepest, 

 longest grains of any corn ever originated. It 

 makes the finest appearing shelled corn I have 

 ever seen, being a cast of two colors, and such corn 

 as brings the highest price in market. It fully 

 withstands the vigor of our Northern climate, and 



frows very rapid, strong and rank at a medium 

 eight, and will out-yield any corn ever grown in 

 this section. To convince your customers of its 

 earliness, tell them it was grown and ripened in 

 from 90 to 100 days within eight miles of Lake Erie. 

 Fields planted June 1st were cut up Sept. 15. You cannot 

 too highly recommend this corn to your customers. My 

 reputation as the largest grower of seed corn in this 

 country is at stake, when I say to you, as I have said 

 before," that the Mastodon Corn Is the earliest corn 

 In the world, taking its size and number of 

 rows on cob. I have grown thousands of bushels of 

 Golden Beauty and now have many fields under contract; 

 the Mastodon is from three weeks to one month earlier, 

 growing side by side and planted the same week ; and 

 .again Mastodon Corn is from one week to ten days 

 ■earlier than the J. S. or any other Learning Corn grown, 

 And with us ripened up in some cases earlier than Pride 

 •of the North. How can it be otherwise, when it is crossed 

 with two of the earliest corns ever grown in the North— 

 "the White Cap and Early Roe Dent ? I love the seed trade 

 as well as any man, and I expect to follow its calling 

 .as long as I live, and to do so successfully must recom- 

 mend things just as they are. Now I want you to push 

 this corn. Mr. Sibley said before he died, ' I made a 

 great mistake in not contracting for all of that corn.' 

 Seedsmen who have visited me this Summer, one 

 and all, congratulate you upon getting hold of this 

 ■corn first, and I am afraid I will not have half enough 

 to supply your trade." 



Polaris Potato. 



In presenting this new Potato to my customers, I do 

 it knowing that it combines more essential 

 qualities than any other first-class Potato, 

 NOT EXCEPTING ANY VARIETY. It is of long 

 oval shape, and a creamy-white in color, cooking as white 

 as the finest flour. It originated by nature's own processes : 

 is hardy, prolific, handsome, early and a good keeper, and 

 as a table variety has no superior. With the originator it 

 lias yielded at the rate of 600 bushels per acre. It has 

 made for itself a wonderful record during the last few 

 years wherever grown, which is best set forth in the 

 testimonials and reports of those who have tested it, some 

 of which are given below : 



A. W. Cheever, in 2V. E. Farmer: " Last August I received 

 a sample package of the Polaris Potato. It was claimed that it 

 was early and yet a good keeper. A few old potatoes were 

 received with the sample of new ones, which proved remark- 

 ably fine for the season of the year. The seed was planted the 

 last week in April at the same time with several other new and 

 old sorts. The middle of April fifty hills of the sprouted seed of 

 Pearl of Savoy, which I had expected svould bring the first mess 

 for digging, were put out; but the Polaris is much ahead, 

 although no special pains were taken to force the crop by 

 sprouting the seed before planting. The Polaris is a smooth, 

 white potato, with eyes nearly level with the surface. Those dug 

 July 7th were so ripe that the skins slipped off in boiling and 

 showed the dry starchy surface so indicative of ripe tubers. We 

 .are always cautious about recommending new things, but this 

 looks like a potato that will take the place of older varieties." 



T. M. Hoskins, in Vermont Watchman : " The Polaris 

 Potatoes were all tested as requested, and were declared by all 

 at the table, to be far better than the Early Rose, in which 

 opinion we fully concur. For a sport from the Rose, they 

 resemble the parent very little, being of a regular, long oval 

 shape, smooth, creamy-white in color, sound white-fleshed, even 

 in cooking, mealy and of fine flavor. We know of no potato 

 that surpasses this one in good qualities for table use or market." 



J. W. Baker, Tiskilwa, Ills.: " The past season ('87) was the 

 dryest ever known here, no rain at all in Spring or Summer 

 the only moisture being from the snow melting ; but I can say 

 out of my 70 or 80 varieties of potatoes, including all the new 

 novelties in that line, the Polaris was the only one seemingly 

 unaffected by the drouth and heat. They were fine for any 

 season and large enough, smooth and of good quality." 



Geo. A. Bonnell Geneva, N. Y.: " The Polaris are looking 

 well, and I think they must prove one of our very best potatoes. 

 They bid fair to lead all other kinds combining to a great 

 extent all the essential qualities of a firstolass potato." 



JUr. Clark's neighbors write as follows of Mastodon : 



F. D. Pierce^ Wakeman, Ohio : " I have seen and grown almost 

 all sorts of the improved and high-bred Dent Corn; but I have never 

 yet seen any that pleases me as well as the field of Early Mastodon 

 grown for you this year. It grows strong, at a medium height, with 

 broad, heavy leaves. It has the most rows on cob and the deepest, 

 longest grain of any corn. Three of the grains measured 2y inches." 



W. G. Fervor, M. D., Wakeman, Ohio : " In all my rides over 

 this country, I have at various times had my attention called to 

 fields of Early Mastodon Corn grown for you, and I can honestly 

 say that East orWest 1 have never seen anything to compare with 

 it as to rapid growth and early maturity." 



Edward Denlon, Florence, Ohio: "I have grown a great many 

 different varieties of corn, but the field of Early Mastodon grown 

 this year beats them all." 



Milo Stahl, New London, Ohio : " Early Mastodon Corn beats 

 all the corn I have ever seen. It has ho barren stalks, yields 

 tremendous, on account of its large number of rows and small cob, 

 and long grains." 



H. M. Fletcher, Wakeman, Ohio : " I have never seen any corn 

 that could beat the Mastodon." 



W. A. Gibson, Wakeman, Ohio : " The Early Mastodon Corn is 

 the largest^eared early Dent Corn, and has the largest grains I have 

 ever seen. It grows strong and rank, with broad leaves— very early." 



M. H. Canfield, Wakeman, Ohio : "I have seen a great many 

 varieties of corn, but I think the Earl3' Mastodon beats them all." 



The above speak for themselves, and are certainly 

 sufficient endorsement for this magnificent variety 

 without any further words from me. < 



I will only add, however, if you wish to he abreast of the 

 times you must put in a few acres of Mastodon in 

 1889. Not a corn grower who reads this catalogue, should miss 

 this the first opportunity of planting the most improved Yellow- 

 Dent Corn in America — acorn sure to outclass any other 

 variety at present grown. Most seedsmen in offering a new 

 corn for the first time quote it at a big price, but to insure a large 

 demand, in this, the first year of its introduction, I have decided 

 to offer Mastodon at what I know all will consider a most reason- 

 able figure. PRICES ON CLARK'S EARLY MASTODON FOR 1889. 

 Pkt., 15 cts.: lb., 50 cts.: 3 lbs., $1.00; by mail, postpaM. By 

 express or freight, pk., $1 ; bus., $3 ; 2 bus., $5 ; 10 bus., S22.50. 



* LACKAWANNA^ \ 



^0A-r$r» i \ 



I take pleasure in offering my cus- P 

 tomers, this year, for the first time, this new * 

 extra early Oats, confident that it will S 



A 



come up to every claim made for it, and 

 knowing that all my customers who * 

 plant Early Lackawanna will find K 

 it by ALL ODDS THE EARLIEST °° 

 OAT THEY HAVE EVER SOWN. * 

 Most of my customers have planted * 

 Welcome Oats during the last five or six a 

 years, and have written me that they con- - 

 sider that variety the earliest oat they u 

 have ever sown. Early Lackawanna will £ 

 be found to mature fully eight to ten i^ 

 days earlier than the Welcome, and 2 

 at the same time will surpass this *t 

 popular and profitable variety in yield, t* 

 I am fully aware this is a broad claim to s» 

 make for any oat, but I am sure that all - 

 who plant Lackawanna this year will bear t" 

 me out next Fall in what I say. While < 

 these claims of earliness and great pro- k '. 



$100, 



1st, JS59 



I will pay this amount for the 6 largest and best 

 shaped Polaris Potatoes, raised by my customers from 

 seed purchased of tne this Spring. All specimens sent me, 

 charges prepaid, before Oct. 1st, when the premium 

 will be awarded. $100 for six potatoes is certainly an 

 enormous price to pay, but I want all my customers 

 enter into this competition, and whoever 

 sends me the largest and finest specimens of this 

 fine earlv variety will receive this liberal pre- 

 mium. IS IT NOT WORTH TRYING FOR ? 



BlMUMHf ~ 



« 



1 



E. A. Newcomb, Waterbury Centre, Vt.: " Relative 

 to the Polaris Potato I have only words of praise. I ha ve 

 planted a few in my garden, May 6th, also at the same 

 time a few rows of the Beauty of Hebron and Clark's 

 No. 1. July loth I dug a hill of each variety, and found 

 the Polaris dry and mealy, the others were not fit to eat, 

 nor were they for the next two weeks, yet we continued 

 to use the Polaris. Many weighed a pound or more 

 each, and were very smooth. For eating, I find them of 

 excellent quality and fine flavor, equal, if not better 

 than any variety known to me. I exhibited potatoes 

 at our fair and took first premium for the greatest and 

 best variety in competition with many other exhibitors. 

 I certainly think the Polaris stands at the head." 



From the Mass. Ex. Station : " One of the best results 

 with the cultivation of various kinds of potatoes during 

 the past season, was noticed with some seed potatoes 

 sent on by the U. S. Dep't of Ag., called the Polaris." 



L. Foster, Dakota Ag. College • "We received a few 

 Polaris Potatoes last season from those sent out by the 

 V. S. Dept. of Ag. The result was m sst satisfactory." 



From the TJ. S. Dep't of Agriculture : " The Polaris 

 were received in good condition. We have planted some 

 of them in alternate rows with Hebron and Rose. The 

 Polaris were up while the others showed no signs of 

 coming. Four pound bags were sent to all the Northern 

 experiment stations, who will report results in the Fall " 



" We, the undersigned grocers and dealers at 



, having known the Polaris Potato for two years or 



more, hereby certify that it has given the best of satisfac- 

 tion to customers, having no superior as a table variety, 

 and has been brought into market two or three weeks 

 earlier thananv other varietv each year." H. E. Boyce, 

 W. H. Ashley, Wm. Cooley, G. W. Randall, C. S. 

 Conant, O. B. Clark, Atkins & Haines, R. H. 

 Mather, J. G. Griggs, M. Manning, J. O. Freeman. 

 There is no question in my mind but 

 that the Polaris is the coming early potato, 

 and not one of my customers investing in this new 

 variety will regret his purchase. My stock comes to 

 me direct from the originator in Vermont, and I would 

 respectfully solicit early orders. PRICE OP 

 POLARIS POTATO FOR 1889. Lb., 60 cts.; 

 3 lbs., $1.50, postpaid. By e^nressor freight, pk., $1 25 : 

 bus., $3.50 ; bbl., 87.00 : 2'bbK, $13.00. 



76 



ductiveness, are great recommendations H 



in themselves and ample to make it a g 

 desirable sort for every one of my cus- 2 

 tomers to plant, still there are other ,_, 

 characteristics that might recommend £ 

 Early Lackawanna almost as strongly to G 

 every farmer in America. In addition to C 

 being so wonderfully early and prolific, * 

 the straw is always stout and stifl* ^ 

 and not liable to lodge, and above * 

 all is entirely free ft .in rust. They •* 

 grow four to five feet high, heads being g 

 large and well-filled, with fine plump )9 

 heavy grains. It weighs 43 pounds to the £ 

 measured bushel, which, while not so 2 

 heavy as the Welcome, still stamps it as * 

 being an extra heavy variety. Finally, I £ 

 would add one more strong point, and i? 

 that is while it responds most liberally to * 

 high cultivation, it has always sue- 2 

 ceeded wonder fn 1 1 y well on C 

 common or poor soil. I hesitated »(, 

 about offering this Oat for quite a little - 

 while this season, as my supply of seed "£■ 

 is very limited; but being anxious to 5* 

 distribute Early Lackawanna over the 1, 

 country, with an idea next year of working P 

 up an enormous demand for it, I have * 

 determined this season to offer it in ? 

 packets only. Price, 15 cts. per packet ; f> 

 2 packets, 25 cts. > 



