T^i^tif'^iife 1^eat6 



IT WILL BE a Half-Century plus five years, 

 this spring, since W. F. Allen, the still active 



head of our business, sent out his first cir- 

 cular and price list of strawberry plants. He 

 was eighteen years old at the time, and he has 

 been growing and selling fine strawberry plants 

 from that first spring up to the present one, 

 without intermission. 



In 1914 the W. F. Allen Company was formed, 

 with Mr. Allen, his wife, and their three sons 

 as owners and operators of the business. No 

 stranger entered upon the scene, and the Aliens 

 are the custodians of the business, under the 

 direction of the founder. 



Through all these years it has been the con- 

 stant aim of Mr. Allen, and all the Aliens as 

 they have come along, to supply plants that 

 would bring satisfaction and profit to the pur- 

 chaser, and they have been guided by five prin- 

 ciples that safeguard the interests of the plant 

 buyers. They insist that a customer must 

 have — 



1. Fine, healthy plants with strong crowns 

 and well developed root systems. Such plants 

 will grow, and keep on growing. 



2. True-to-name plants, to assure all the bene- 

 fits of tine varieties best suited to the grower's 

 soiL climate, and markets. 



3. Fair prices : low enough to be economical ; 

 high enough to maintain the quality and integ- 

 rity of the plants and their grower. 



4. Service! A noble word, often much abused. 

 To us it means the careful selection, efficient 

 packing, and prompt shipment of ail plants when 

 they are wanted ; and after that, continued inter- 

 est, good will, and cooperation. 



5. Friendly aid. The knowledge that we have 

 gained in tifty-tive years of strawberry culture 

 is available to all our customers, whenever and 



however it may help them to gain more pleasure 

 and profit. Much of it will be found in this 

 Berry Book. Our annual testing of many new 

 varieties and seedlings, and our study of re- 

 search, and experimentation in this and other 

 States, bring us additional knowledge, and we 

 pass the news along whenever new and better 

 varieties or methods of culture are developed. 

 Our established policies, continued through the 

 years, have brought us many valued friends and 

 a gratifying measure of success. We have made 

 mistakes, being human, but we have always tried 

 to correct them to the satisfaction of the cus- 

 tomers. And we thank our customers and friends, 

 old and new, for their loyal and kind support, 

 through fifty-five years, or one year. 



THE W. F. ALLEN COMPANY. 



"Fairfax- 

 ideal for the 

 home garden" 



