

STOKES 



GROWING SINCE 1679 



6EED5 



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The Meaning of the Appendage (Stokes) 



THE day a new varietal name is offered the public, it is, in a sense, public property 

 and can be used by anyone by fair means or foul. A seedsman has no means what- 

 ever of protecting himself against others taking that name and using it in connec- 

 tion with the most abominable lot of seed in existence. On numerous occasions, we have 

 felt that varieties introduced and sponsored by this house were later seriously jeopardized, 

 if not definitely injured. Because of the situation, which is one entirely beyond our 

 control, we are forced to adopt the custom of appending our own name to the varietal 

 name, thus — Tomato, Marglobe (Stokes). By this we mean that seed thus identified is 

 the product of this house and is sold with its endorsement. It does not necessarily mean 

 that our firm was the breeder of the strain or the introducer of the stock. Neither does it 

 carry any other warranty. It does, however, distinctly identify the stock in question as 

 a product of Francis C. Stokes & Co. By this means we hope to more fully protect those 

 who place confidence in us. 



Special Chemical Treatment Eliminates Much Disease 



Last season we subjected practically all of our seed to chemical treatment. In some 

 instances we met with almost startling results and we are convinced that there is a field 

 for broader study. Almost every vegetable is an individual problem in itself. We are 

 prepared to state definitely that in some form or other we are subjecting the following seed 

 to special treatment; viz., cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon, pepper, 

 radish and tomato. In a general way, this treatment may be described as disinfecting the 

 seed against surface-borne disease spores. We have found that this in turn accelerates 

 germination besides greatly stimulating subsequent plant gro\\1;h. In many cases this 

 advances the date of maturity as well as increases the crop yield. These treatments are 

 accomplished at a considerable expense, but our results and reports from our customers 

 so thoroughly convince us that we are working along the right lines, we have definitely 

 decided to continue. Naturally w^e shall be very glad to coordinate our activities with 

 Experiment Station men, especially Pathological Departments. 



The Significance of Our Super-Standards 



Out of our 112 varieties, 32 are distinguished as Super-Standard strains. Such stocks 

 are distinctly superior to the average commercial type sold under that name. In the minds 

 of our customers, this designation now carries with it a real distinction, for we have set up 

 a very severe criterion, and a strain must very definitely win its place before it is worthy of 

 the Super-Standard designation. Our ideal, as seedsmen, is to achieve a point where all of our 

 stocks are so designated. We have not yet been able to estimate the necessary time required 

 to achieve this. 



We Pay All Delivery Charges 



We really mean this. Any individual item in our catalogue, without extra charge of 

 any kind, will be delivered anywhere in the United States or Canada. There is no if or but 

 in this offer, which, combined with a strict twenty-four hour delivery service, makes our 

 position as concrete as possible. When a customer orders radish seed quoted at $1 per 

 pound, this means $1, delivered right to his front door. 



Please Use the Front Door 



Quite naturally, some of our Super-Standard stocks have attracted the attention of our 

 fellow seedsmen. These stocks, as all others that we catalogue, are open to the entire public, 

 including competitive seedsmen, all of whom we like to think of as being friendly to us. 

 Such being the case, we want to make one request of our contemporaries in the craft; 

 namely, that if you want any of these stocks, you ask for them in your own name and not 

 through some intermediary. The same principle applies to our catalogue, copies of which 

 will be gladly sent to any of our competitors for the asking. The chances are we will return 

 the courtesy in some form or other ourselves some day, so let's use the front door. 



