W. F. Allen's Plant and Seed Catalogue, Salisbury, Md. 



25 



A Few Final Words That We May Understand 

 Each Other Better. 



In describing so many varieties of strawber- 

 ries, it is a very bard proposition to do so with- 

 out there being a great deal of sameness about it 

 I know on this account that the descriptions in 

 catalogues are severely criticized, and often, no 

 doubt, justly so. But as a rule I believe that 

 catalogue descriptions are intended to be truth- 

 ful and honest, and I have often thought I would 

 like to see a catalogue describing a hundred or 

 more varieties of strawberries, for instance, writ- 

 ten by any one of a great majority of those who 

 are so free to criticize others. I doubt if any 

 one can give the accurate description of a hun- 

 dred varieties of strawberries all from his per- 

 sonal observation. Of the few persons who have 

 the opportunity to see a large number c varie- 

 ties in fruit, it would be difficult to find one who 

 has the ability and the confidence of the public 

 that could take the time just at that season of 

 the year to take notes on a large list of varieties, 

 as it takes considerable time, and to catch all the 

 varieties at the same stage of maturity they 

 would have to be gone over several times. I 

 know with myself it would be almost impossible. 

 To illustrate : The past season, after serving 

 several thousand customers with strawberry 

 plants, orders ranging from a few dozen to sev- 

 eral hundred thousand, all of which has my per- 

 sonal superintendence. I shipped to Northern 

 markets 75.000 quarts of strawberries, 25,000 

 quarts of dewberries, 4.100 half-barrels cucum- 

 bers, 1,700 six-gallon crates of peaches, 35 car- 

 loads of cantaloupes, 34 carloads of watermelons. 

 The work of superintending the growing, pick, 

 ing, packing and marketing of virtually a hun- 

 dred carloads of perishable produce is no small 

 task. Yet it has been done satisfactorily and 

 profitably the past season, and more will be un- 

 dertaken next year. I have just completed hous- 

 ing over 2,000 bushels sweet potatoes, and I am 

 now, at this writing (November 18) busily en- 

 gaged in planting strawberry plants. Every day 

 this winter when the ground is not frozen we 

 will be setting strawberry plants, until 100 acres 

 are planted, the product of a greater part of 

 which will be required to fill my plant orders in 

 the spring of 1909. Why do I plant in the fall 1 

 and winter? So that I can get it done and out 

 of the way, in order that I may give my un- 

 divided attention to filling orders for strawberry 

 plants during March and April. 



Now, to go back to the question of descriptions, 

 I write from observation of the different varie- 

 ties as I have found them during the busy season, 

 from daily contact in handling and marketing. 

 On those varieties which I have not fruited, or 

 have not seen enough of to justify an opinion, I 

 quote the descriptions of the best authority I 

 can get. I do not want you to think for a moment 

 that I guarantee these descriptions either those 

 I give myself or tlwse I quote, to always fit the 

 varieties as you will find them. Why? Because 

 a change of location or change of soil makes so 

 much difference in strawberries that to do so 

 would be impossible. The descriptions are given 

 to help you all we can to select what would be 

 best for you. The information given is the best 

 I can get from my own observation and that of= 

 others with esperience, and is the same that de- 



termines my own operations. The kind that Is 

 best with me may not be of much value to you, 

 and your favorite may be worthless to me. Thus 

 you find some champion of almost every variety. 

 Consequently, in reading descriptions, Mr. A. w^ll 

 say that Climax is the best, Mr. B. will say that 

 Klondyke is the best, and Mr. C. will be very 

 emphatic in his opinion that some other kind is 

 best. Each one is honest in his belief, but while 

 almost every variety is best with some one, no 

 variety is best with every one. This is why we 

 carry such a long list. I want to especially urge 

 all progressive growers to test for themselves a 

 number of varieties every year. Set apart a row 

 or two in your patch every year for this purpose 

 and plant 12 or 25 each of several kinds that yon 

 have not already fruited. You will find it very 

 interesting, and you may find something that just 

 suits you for larger planting. 



Several collections have been arranged for 

 those who wish to do some experimenting on 

 their own account, and I venture to say that no 

 one who does so will ever regret it. 



Now, friends, I have tried to be candid and 

 honest with you, and if you approve of my courso 

 I should appreciate very much to do business 

 with you. Those who have been dealing with mi 

 know what kind of plants I send out, and I am 

 vain enough to believe they will continue to 

 patronize me. To those who have not dealt with 

 me I want to ask. Won't you try me once? If 

 my plants are not as satisfactory in every way as 

 any you ever got elsewhere, I shall not expect 

 you to continue to buy from me, but I believe if 

 you will let me fill one order for you, in nine 

 cases out of ten I will get the second, the third, 

 and so on. Try it and see if we are not mutually 

 benefited. 



With many thanks to those who have given me 

 such liberal patronage in the past, and assuring 

 them that I shall ever strive to merit a continu- 

 ance of their patronage and good will, I remain, 

 Yours very truly, 



W. F. ALLEN. 



November 17, 1907. 



CERTIFICATE OF NURSERY INSPECTION. 

 Go TOlbom It flDa? Concern: 



THIS IS TO CERTIFY, That on tb^iL.Jay_„f ^^A^J^ZjiO^. 



we examined tfyrtfursery Stock of^ _>^T__T7*. ■ Z2^/£lJ»^ ^~ 



growing inP5£i*-*?_^_nurseries « * - -^ ^ _ 



County of,)ttt.(?t^J,euP. State of Maryland, in accordance 



■Varyland.lSOS.ChapterlSg.SectionSS.andthatsaidnurserih^premisesar. 



apparently free, go far as.can be determinedly inspection, from tht San- Jo.e Scale 



Peach Ycllowj,. Pear Blight and other dangerously injurious insect pest. and 



plant dUea.es. ^ ^ 



certificate, is invalid after f-- : ?^fi>.v^cr>t/cT7-iyo ^ .and does not 

 include nursery stock not grown within this SialeSunless such stock is previous*, 

 coveredby certificate and acceptedby the SlalV^gibi^stand Slate Pathologist 



OMtci /V*. i. 



**.. < hsl3£ S o)u 



