57 YEARS of TRADITION— 



8 Well-Bred Stocks of Tomatoes 



Photo by Bachrach 

 "We have a deep conviction that it is best to attempt but 

 a few things, focusing great energy on them." 



variety tests and reasonable variety diversification in the field. We 

 believe that our catalogue descriptions, accompanied by excerpts 

 from customers' reports, will be helpful in your choice of variety. 



Once again we say thanks for the increasing business which is 

 being sent to us, both in Tomato seed and in Tomato plants. Once 

 again we extend the hospitality of our Company to all interested 

 persons to visit our Stokesdale Proving Grounds at Vincentown. 

 It is here that our foundation stocks are produced, which in turn 

 plant our 1,000 pedigreed acres for seed. It is here also that various 

 cultural experiments are made. Early August is the most interesting 

 time for a visit. Ice-cold Tomato juice is always on tap! 



THE most important American vegetable, Tomato, continues 

 to claim our exclusive interest. We leave the enormously 

 complex problems attendant on the breeding and growing of 

 other vegetable seed to fellow members of the craft, who by train- 

 ing, experience and location are better suited to handle them. 



Our Company's concentration on Tomato has brought results 

 which will be useful to you as a Tomato grower, whether you 

 produce for the early market, for green-wrap shipment, for the 

 cannery, or under glass. It is probable that a careful reading of 

 this Catalogue will materially increase your Tomato profits, for 

 our merchandise and our experience are completely at the service 

 of our customers. Your problems are our problems. 



The year 1938 was a severe one for Tomatoes. All varieties, 

 in nearly all districts, underwent extremes of rainfall, heat, 

 drought, or hurricane that in many cases proved their undoing. 

 /"Our own crops were reduced by 50 per cent.y Again we are 

 impressed with this fact: No one variety will necessarily give the 

 best performance on the same farm year after year. Conditions of 

 culture, feeding, moisture, temperature, and humidity are so 

 inconstant that varying results are inevitable. These conditions 

 cannot be accurately forecast. Thus the necessity of continuous 



TOMATO SEED 



FRANCIS C. STOKES COMPANY 



1881 Tomato Products 1939 



VINCENTOWN, NEW JERSEY, U. S. A. 



President 



The Girls on the Cover 



Our thanks to Mr. Gene Miller, Berkeley Springs, W. Va., Secretary, Morgan County 

 Tomato Festival, for our cover photograph, these very pleasant ladies reflect the spirit and 

 the character of that increasingly important Tomato county. Their festival was all that the 

 name gives it and included a governor, a queen, bands of music, farmers, farmers' sons, 

 farmers' daughters, and a great many Tomatoes ! 



Photograph on the front cover by Mr. Henry Riippenthal, Jr. 



Stokes tamperproof Tomato canister, with its copyright label, is a symbol of safety to 

 the Tomato grower. The top is not removable except by destroying the box. It is thus 

 impossible to refill. The box itself is ventilated, but is insect proof. The prestige of the 

 label carries with it an honorable record dating back to 1881. 



ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED 

 SEED PACKAGES IN NORTH AMERICA 



Copyright 1938. by F. C. S. Co. 



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