IX. 



to the large quantity of flower seeds which they send out by mail, they put up 

 complete assortments in elegant black walnut boxes for merchants ; thus in 

 nearly every town throughout the country where their trade extends, these choice 

 seeds, bearing the imprint of D. M. Ferry & Co., can be found, enabling lov- 

 ers of flowers to supply themselves at their own doors, 



THEIR IMPORTATIONS. 



We are informed by the Custom House officials that this firm is one of the 

 heaviest importing houses in Michigan. We have been shovrn invoices amount- 

 ing to thousands of pounds sterling, from the largest and most celebrated seed 

 growing establishments of England, France, Holland, Germany, &c. Many varie- 

 ties of vegetable and flower seeds cannot be successfully grown in this climate, 

 and therefore Europe is brought into requisition to supply the deticiency, and 

 the Atlantic Cable is often used to communicate with a dilatory shipper, or to 

 add an after-thought to some large order. A casual observer would hardly 

 imagine, as he examines the smallest assortment of seeds put up by this house, 

 that it embraces the products of nearly every country and climate on the face of 

 the globe.. 



All their choicest, and many new varieties of Peas they import from Eng- 

 land, and have thousands of bushels of standard varieties grown for them in 

 Canada. 



THE SHIPMENTS OF THE HOUSE. 



The shipments of goods by the firm clearly denote the extent of their trade. 

 An examination of their books shows that during the past winter they have sup- 

 plied over 23,000 merchants with complete assortments of seeds for retailing 

 this spring, and many of them are regular seed dealers, and require large stocks 

 in bulk. Over 75,000 boxes of different sizes, and some of them elegantly 

 designed and finished, have been used in filling these orders, the cost of which 

 alone, before they are filled with seeds, is over $50,000. The above shipments 

 have been made during the past few months. Of course, their aggregate annual 

 shipments are very much more. On an average, over a car load (of ten tons) of 

 seeds pass through the doors of their warehouse every day in the year. 



QUALITY OF THE STOCK. 



The best commentary on the quality of the seeds this house sells, is the 

 immense success of their business. They value their reputation more than gold, 

 and it has been a great lever in building up and extending their trade. Nearly 

 all the merchants whom the house supplied with seeds eighteen years ago, are still 

 supplied by them, and thousands who have used D. M. Ferry & Co's seeds, 

 and have emigrated to new States, inquire for them at the stores in the localities 

 to which they have removed, and the merchant, ever anxious to supply goods in 

 demand, orders ; and thus their trade is increased and extended until in nearly 

 every town of importance throughout the country a supply of these seeds can be 

 found. 



MR. FERRY'S SEED FARM. 



Any one who has driven out on Grand River Avenue, in the month of June, 

 has noticed the fine seed farm of Mr. Ferry, near the city limits. In that month 

 most of the crops are in blossom, and the broad acres that stretch out before the 

 visitor, blocked out and bounded by roads crossing each other at right angles, 



