DREER'S GARDEN CALENDAR. 



Park Moneeau, Paris. The next year we introduced it into America, and since then it has been largely cultivated as 

 the most effective plant for sub-tropical gardening. This was followed in 1870 by the introduction of the beautiful 

 Ampelopsis Veitchi, which was sent from Japan to Messrs. Veitch & Sons, London, from whom we procured our 

 stock. This has proved to be one of the most valuable climbing plants ever introduced into America. The Hanson 

 Lettuce and Bastian's Turnip Beet were distributed by us in 1871. Dreer's Improved Lima Bean in 1875, ol which 

 the American Agriculturist says : " We regard this Bean as one of the most important of the recent contributions to 

 horticulture." This was followed at a later date by the Giant Red Wax Bean. Dreer's Golden Cluster Wax Pole 

 Bean, introduced by us last season, is beyond question the best of its class, and we shall the present year offer our 

 Dreer's Eclipse Asparagus — a variety which we are confident has no equal. Our aim has always been to send out 

 <>ither the best or nothing, and we feel in looking over our past record that we have done our share in the dissemina- 

 tion of reliable varieties. 



In December, 1873, Mr. Henry A. Dreer passed away, leaving the business to his son, Mr. William F. Dreer, 

 under whose able management the trade of the house has been largely extended. 



Our seed growers are the most experienced that can be secured, many having grown for us for a quarter of a cen- 

 tury. They are all experts in specialties, and are situated in localities best adapted to the full development of the 

 varieties grown. The trial system that we employ gives us full assurance that what we sell can be absolutely relied 

 \ipou. We first supply the purest stock seeds, make a thorough rogueing in the field, test the stocks when they are 

 delivered to ascertain germinating strength and then the following season give thorough comparative tests on our 

 trial ground. 



Our plant department has steadily increased from the small beginning at Woodlands in 1838. It afterwards was 

 removed to Mantua and Belmont, West Philadelphia, in 1849, where it remained until the improvements of the city 

 compelled us, in 1870, to remove the entire plant business to Riverton, where we have 100 acres at our disposal for 

 seed-growing and testing and the cultivation of plants. Thirty large green-houses, heated by a 100 horse-power 

 boiler, are now not sufficient for our needs. Each house is specially built for the class of plants it contains, and we 

 •endeavor to keep all the stock we grow uj) to the highest standard of excellence. We do not make any misstatement 

 when we say our plant department is the best arranged and regulated of its kind in the country. We extend a cor- 1 

 dial invitation to our friends and customers to visit it. Our facilities for growing are extensive, and the constant; 

 increase in our business is an evidence of appreciation by our customers. '• 



In making our catalogues it is our aim to give descriptions free from all appearance of outrageousness and to make 

 ■our engravings as true to type and nature as possible, considering well the fact that a seedsman's catalogue should be 

 rational in its tone, educational in its matter and as clearly descriptive of the things offered as a limited space will 

 allow. It is our desire to make our catalogue serviceable as a book of reference, true in tone and as clear as possible, 

 so that it will not be simply considered as a book relating only to a passing event. 



In conclusion we have to thank our many friends and customers in all parts of this country and abroad for their 

 kind support for so many years. We have the satisfaction of numbering some who have dealt with us during the first 

 half of our business century, and their children and grandchildren have followed the example of their fathers in 

 dealing with a house that has made it a fixed principle never to misrepresent, supply the best at any cost, and do a 

 little better than promised. 



HENRY n. DREER, 



WM. F. DREER. 



714 CHESTNUT STREET, 



PHILADELPHIA. 



