Nineteen Hundred ai 



ION. 



I OR the twenty-fourth time I am handing 

 you my Spring- Catalogue, and in doing 

 so we begin another chapter in life's 

 history. Let us work with all "f our 

 might to make this chapter of 1909 more 

 interesting than any that has preceded 

 it: and we must not lose sight of the 

 fact that to be the most interesting to 

 YOU and ME it must be the most suc- 

 cessful : and with that end in view 1 extend to you the 

 right hand of fellowship, and promise to do everything 

 in my power to make it such. 



Notwithstanding we have had a very dry summer, 

 which has extended over a greater part of the country 

 and cut short the usual supply Of plants, I am pleased to 

 be able to report that, with persistent cultivation, liberal 

 fertilization and a somewhat increased acreage, my stock 

 of plants will compare very favorably with that of last 

 season in bolh quality and quantity. I am short on some 

 few varieties, but of nearly all of the standard sorts 

 the money-makers! 1 have a good, substantial supply, 

 and also of most of the most promising new ones My 

 facilities for serving you were never better I use the. 

 lightest packages consistent with safe carriage, and I 

 use the best grade of Jersey moss, which is the cleanest 

 and best to be had. This is bought by the carload and 



vh«V it iCrgoDtelidH Iftshfftight-A-. 



;oc*f. This mffiesiiMhtSysitkinM 

 nd insures yourplants to arrive in 

 n than whfr£©£>t , VM£D m °ss is 



ion I have succeeded in pleasing 



etiniwadakA .<yi^pmev.s,.and J. am „ 

 T7 ear to please the hundredth one? 



placed under cover 



neither too wet nor 



less express charges! 



much better condi 



used. The past se< 



ninety- nine out of 



going to try hard th 1 



I have the goods a _ 



and while I do not claim" that" I can absolutefy~pTease~ 



everybody. T do believe i can come as near it as anybody 



in this business. May I have your orders for 1P09? 



Before closing I want to thank everybody who so 

 kindly favored me with their orders las' year, it is 

 gratifying to be able to say that 1908 was far ahead of any 

 previous year in the sales of plants, seeds, etc., and with 

 your help and continued patronage, which T shall strive 

 hard to merit, I expect to advance another step up the 

 ladder of progress during 1900. It is my earnest wish 

 that each of tne 50,000 persons who receive this catalogue 

 may have a prosperous year 



Thanking you all most sincerely for past 1"a\ ors, and 

 anticipating with much pleasure that I may soon be per 

 mitted to serve you again I remain. 



Yours very respectfully, 



W. F. ALLEN, Salisbury, Md. 



PLEASE READ THIS TWICE 



I want your order for strawberry plants, but I want t 

 at the right time, when I know that I can serve you 

 equally as well as anyone, and better than a great major- 

 ity in the business. When is the right time? Any time 

 after November 1st until May 1st. March and A pril, the 

 great planting season, almost our entire attention and 

 that of over a hundred employees is given up to tilling 

 plant orders, and we want to fill yours. 



From May 1st to May 10th we will fill a limited number 

 of orders on any stock that is unsold and put in the very 

 best possible order, but at purchaser's risk as to results. 



After May 10th— during- June, July, August, Septem- 

 ber, and October before the 15th— we most positively will 

 not fi : 1 any orders for small-fruit plants. (This does not 

 apply to vegetable plants.) 



We are willing to answer any questions during the 

 summer months as promptly as possible, if written in a 

 short letter' and to the point. Long letters are subject to 

 long delays. This nolice was made necessary from the 

 fact that we receive hundreds of orders for strawberry 

 plants during the summer months when we have no 

 plants in fit condition to transplant, and when not one in 

 ten could make even good plants grow if we could send 

 them, unless it were potted plants, which we do not grow 

 at all. Thanking you for your'attention, I remain. 



Yours faithfully, 



W. P. ALLEN, 



Salisbury, Md. 



PRIVET (For Hedging). 



CALIFORNIA PRIVET.— I have an excellent 

 stock of one-year-old California Privet. It is strong, 

 healthy and well-rooted, just th-- right size to plant for 

 best results ; makes beautiful, ornamental hedge, 15 to 

 18 inch, heavy rooted : $1.50 per 100 ; $12.50 per 1,000. 

 No extra charge for boxing. 



AMOOR RIVER PRIVET.— The Amoor River 

 Trivet has a dense, broad, bushy habit, but is more 

 growing, produces the same pretty flower-clusters, and 

 best of all, is evergreen in all except the coldest cli- 

 mates and highest altitudes. For more than 30 years 

 it has been cultivated extensively, holding its own 

 against all rivals as the most beautiful and hardy ever- 

 green hedge plant. It has stood 20 degrees below zero 

 weather in the higher Alleghanies, and this, together 

 with the fact that is equally successful in Southern 

 Florida, proves that it can endure extremes of both 



heat and cold. It grows fast either in sun or shade, 

 hears clipping back to a compact, glossy, solid surface, 

 and shearing into fantastic shapes, arches, pillars, etc. 

 No other hedge plant except the boxwood can compare 

 with it for rich, all-the-year-round beauty. It has 

 been difficult to supply the demand for this privet, and 

 I am able to offer it for the first time this spring. 

 Price. 15 to 20 inches, one year, heavv rooted, $2.00 

 per 100 ; $17.50 per M. 



SPIREA. 



SPIREA VAN HOUTII.— The great clusters 

 of single white flowers follow the curves of the slender 

 branches closely, weighting them down to the ground. 

 A beautiful shrub. I have an elegant stock of strong, 

 well-rooted plants at 25c. each, or $2.00 per dozen. 



