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



Hftcv Reading the Stnaiobcnity Descriptions 



I BEG YOUR ATTENTION LONG ENOUGH TO READ THE FOLLOWING: 



You will no doubt say that my descriptions 

 read very much as if they were flavored with 

 the same extract and that a Compound of 

 adjectives in the superlative degree. 



[ know that the catalogue writer is severely 

 criticised at the Farmer's Institutes. Horti- 

 cultural meetings and elsewhere, and in some 

 cases, no doubt, justly so, but did you ever 

 ask the Critic if he could write a better cata- 

 logue than the one he is criticizing, did you 

 ever stop to consider that if he could, he 

 would be able to command a salary consid- 

 erably in advance of what he is earning at 

 present. Now as to the strawberry descrip- 

 tions contained in this pamphlet, there are 

 no doubt a great many superlative adjectives 

 used, and practically all these varieties have 

 proven the best, the largest, the most pro- 

 ductive, the best flavored, the firmest, the 

 earliest or the latest, as the case may be, 

 with some one. Som.e one of them will prove 

 the best with you, but not all of them, and 

 the one that proves to be your best will most 

 likely not be the best for your neighbor, and 

 the one that does the best for me may not 

 be a favorite of either you or your neighbor. 

 There are so many things to be considered; 

 Mr. A. may have a low black, loamy soil, 

 Mr. B. a medium clay soil and Mr. C. a light 

 sandy soil. Mr. A. may be growing for a 

 local market where large size and good quality 

 are the most essential features, Mr. B. may 

 be growing for a distant market where firm- 

 ness and keeping qualities count for more 

 than large size and good quality, while Mr. C. 

 may be growing for the home table only, 

 and with him quality is the most desirable 

 feature. All three may be growing for the 

 same purpose and yet the same berry would 

 most likely not be the best for each of them 

 on their different soils. Almost every grower 

 has a different mode of culture. As to what 

 variety will do best for you must in a large 

 measure be determined by yourself. I do not 

 want you to think for a moment that I guaran- 

 tee the description, either those that I give my- 

 self or those I quote from other growers, to 

 always fit the varieties as you will find them, 

 because a change of location, a change of soil 

 or a change in cultivation and fertilization 

 makes so much difference and has such a 

 different effect on the different varieties, that 

 to do so would be impossible. The descrip- 

 tions given are to help you all we can to 

 select what would suit you best. The infor- 

 mation given is the best I can get from my 

 own observation and that of other exper- 

 ienced growers, and it is the same that deter- 

 mines my own operations. No variety is a 

 best with every one, and almost every variety 

 is best somewhere with some one. This is 

 why we carry such a long list. Were I grow- 

 ing for fruit only I should not plant over six 

 to eight varieties except in my test plot. 

 Every progressive grower should set apart 

 a row or two in his patch every year and 

 plant 12 to 25 plants each of several kinds 

 that you have not already fruited. You will 

 find it very interesting, and you are likely to 

 find something that just suits you for larger 

 plantings. Several collections have been 



arranged for those who wish to do some ex- 

 perimenting 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 

 square with you and I hope you approve oi 

 my course. If so, I should appreciate very 

 much to do business with you and supply 

 your wants in my line. Those who have 

 been dealing with me know what kind of 

 plants 1 send out, and you who have not dealt 

 with me. I want you to give me your order 

 this year and let me prove to you that no 

 better plants are to be had anywhere at any 

 price, f shall not expect you to continne to 

 buy from me unless I can show you that it 

 is to your interest to do so. Try it aad sec 

 for yourself if we are not mutually benefitted. 



With best wishes and many thanks to those 

 who have given me such liberal patronage in 

 the past, and especially, for the large increase 

 in business given me last year, and promising 

 you that I will always try to merit your 

 confidence and good will, I remain, 

 Yours very truly, 



VV. F. ALLEN. 



T MARYLAND" 



CERTIFICATE OF NURSERY INSPECTION 



Zo ^Qbom Ht flOa? Concern: 



THIS IS TO CERTIFY. That on the 3 dy l,{^^j~Z^T^^fZt \<v*^t *s*»v*4 

 ih, /V»r«ry Slerl-of LJl-i ' " . V C^C^C^^jJ^ 



growing in _/_ l *-v nurseries at ^ \ bX^^-t-S^^A-A-^-f 



Ceunty ofy/f <f t ' ?«. t ^ef State of Moryland, in accordance tenth th/laws of MarytanJ, iftji, C>«V 

 tcp 28?. Section 58, and thai said nurseries and premises are apparently frre. so far as con be deit*- 

 mined by inspection, from the San Jose Scale, Peceh Yelloie-s, Pear Blight and other dangironsty i*/atmiui 



net pests and plant diseases. 



Th<- rrrtificote is tnvahd after t-^4.- '***<-**■/ /'Of' "90y?W A 

 t jfiiitt witfm this State unless such strfyb is ir'-.iously covered by eertihct 



tflude nnrs/ry *t*e> 

 uepted by AW Sfsr* 



Enlomoiogtst and Stale Pathologist, 



NUMBER OF PLANTS REQUIRED TO SET AN 

 ACRE OF GROUND AT A GIVEN DISTANCE. 



Rows 24 Inches apart, plants 12 inches In row, 21,780 



" 30 " " 12 " " 17,42* 



" 36 " " 12 " " 14,520 



" 42 " " 12 " " 12,44© 



48 12 " " 10,880 



" 24 " " 15 " " 17,424 



•' 30 " 15 " " 19,089 



" 36 " " 15 " " 11,816 



•' 42 15 - " 9.WS3 



•' 48 - •' 15 " " 8,712 



" 24 '• " 18 14,520 



" 30 " " 18 " '' 11,610 



" 36 " " 18 " " 9.6SG 



•' 42 " " 18 " " 8,2»7 



" 48 - " 18 " '• 7,200 



" 24 " " 24 " " 10.8&0 



" 30 " " 24 " " 8,712 



" 36 " " 24 " " 7,200 



" 42 " " 24 " " 0,228 



" 48 " " 24 " " 5,445 



" 24 " " 30 " " 8,712 



" 30 " " 30 ' " " 0,80» 



" 36 " " 30 " " 5,808 



" 42 " " 30 " *> 4,870 



" 48 " " 30 " » 4,850 



