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St. Paul, Mifin., Jan. i, !i904. 



To Our Friends and Patrons: 



It affords tis great pleasure to hand you herewith, our Catalogue of Northern Grown Products, which have been grown and aire oftered with 

 special reference to the needs of the North and Northwest, hut which, at the same time, are eqvially -valuable for all sections of the country. 

 It is. a well established fact that the farther north either vegetable or animal life is developed, the sturdier, hardier and better that development 

 is. We oflFer nothing that we cannot recommend, and recommend nothing without first giving it a thorough trial. On this account dttr 

 Catalogue has never teemed with novelties, for with the best interest of our customers (and their interest is ours) at heart, we have always 

 hesitated to offer anything without feeling in our own hearts that it was as good as, or superior to, well established sorts. While the past 

 year as a^whole has been a prosperous one with our farmer friends, still many varieties of seeds were a short crop owing to the cool, wet 

 season, w^hich retarded their maturity and impaired their vitality. Anticipating this we have laid in a good supply of all varieties of seeds, but 

 would earnestly urge our patrons to order early before stocks become exhausted. Knowing that Northern drown Products are vastly .sttpeiipr 

 to all others, and trusting that the perusal of these pages wiU indiice yoti to give t|s all or a portion at least of your orjlers, we beg to remain 



Yours very truly, L. L MAY & CO, 



IN ORDERING GOODS forward by freight or express be sure to -write 

 plainly j-^our express or freight office, county and state in full, giviag 

 the express or railroad company you prefer to have them sent by. 

 This saves time and delay here "and disappointment at your end of 

 the line. 



IF SHIPMENTS DO NOT ARRIVE promptly after being notified by 

 us, please advise, and we will have them traced at once. 



How to Order. 



YOUR ORDER, no matter how large or small, will always receive our 

 prompt and careful attention. 



ORDER EARLY. — We earnestly request all customers to place their 

 orders early, as it will assist us gi-eatly in gettingevery thing out pi-omptly. 

 USE THE ORDER SHEET in this book. If you wish to order a second 

 "time, write 3'our order on a separate sheet of paper and do not mix it 

 up in the body of a letter. This will assist us greatly in filling your 

 order. Blank order sheets will be sent at anv time upon request. 

 C. O. D. SHIPMENTS.— We must decline to sliip goods C O. D. unless 

 the purchaser remits in advance sufficient money to pay transportation 

 charges and cost of packing, etc., or at least one-third the amount of 

 the order. 



ORDERS MUST BE ACCOHPAINED by the money to pay for the goods. 

 We cannot open small accounts, and will decline to fill orders unless 

 accompanied by the cash. This is a uniform rule from which we cannot 

 and will not deviate. 



DON'T FORGET YOUR NAME, POST OFFICE AND STATE.— Every season 

 we receive scores of letters and orders from parties who forget to sign 

 their name, and do not give their post-office address, 



How to Send Money. 



POST=OFFICE MONEY ORDERS may be obtained at nearly all post 

 offices at a ismall cost. This is a good w^ay to send money. 

 DRAFTS ON ST. PAUL, NEW YORK. OR GHICAGO can be obtained at 

 an3'^ bank and are perfectly safe. 



EXPRESS MONEY ORDERS can be had at the office of the American, 

 United States, Adams, Northern Pacific, Wells, Fargo & Co., Great 

 Northern or any other express companv. 



REGISTERED LETTERS cost but S cents, and money should be sent in 

 this wav in case it cannot be sent bv any of the above methods. 

 PERSONAL CHECKS.— Do not send personal checks, as we are obUged to 

 pay for collecting same and will therefore liave to deduct this charge 

 from ypur order. Besides, orders are held until our bankers report 

 checks paid, thiis causing needless delav. 



NEVER SEND SILVER OR CURRENCY in a letter or envelope without 

 registering it, as it is unsafe to do so. Every month we have complaints 

 from people who send money in this careless manner, which is stolen or 

 lost in transit and never reaches us. When remittances are not made 

 according to these directions, we disclaim all responsibility. 



How to Ship. 



MAY'S SEEDS POSTPAID.— At the prices quoted in our Catalouge we 

 prepay postage on all seeds ordered by packet, ounce, quarter pound, 

 pound, pint or quart. On seeds in larger quantities, also plants, trees, 

 fruits, etc., ofTered by express or freight, the purchaser pa3's the trans- 

 portation charges. 



EXPRESS AND FREIGHT.— Many of our customers do not stop to con- 

 sider the difierence between express and freight charges, and frequently 

 order lai-ge quantities of seed by express, when it could be sent by fast 

 freightjust as well, and at much less expense. The express rates are 

 naturally verv much higher than the freight, 



EXPRESS RATES ON SEEDS. PLANTS AND BULBS are 20 per cent, 

 lower than merchandise rates. Bear this in mind when receiving stock 

 and insist on the express companv giving vou the proper rate. 

 DO NOT FORGET TO STATE HOW you wish goods shipped, whether by 

 freight or express. Unless you do, we will ship as we think best and 

 cannot be held responsible for delavs or expense. 



ST. PAUL, BEING A RAILROAD CENTER, freight rates are exceptionally 

 low and freight shipments can be hurried to destination more rapidly 

 than froth less favored points. 



PREPAID STATIONS.— Many small railroad stations are prepaid stations 



and the railroads will not accept freight for such points unless charges 

 are fullv prepaid. It will save delay if you ascertain if your sta tion is a 

 prepaid'one before sending your order and include enough money to 

 coyer freight chargels if it is. 



Our Seed Department. 



WE ARE SEED GROWERS.— By this we mean that we do not buy 

 our seeds on the open market, as do many firms, btit grow theiii 

 ourselves. We know it will pay yon to order May's Seeds, as y.ou 

 will then avoid the disappointment which so often follows the sow- 

 ing of seeds that are purchased from commission dealers throughout 

 the country, seeds which, in many cases, have lain under the counter 

 for years, and are worthless to a gardener or a farmer. 

 NORTHERN GROWN SEEDS are known to be superior to all others, 

 being-earlier, hardier and more productive. 



WE TEST ALL SEEDS as soon as received from our growers, and 

 never send out an ounce that does not show a high germinative test. 

 THE BEST IS NONE TOO GOOD FOR OUR PATRONS.— And \ve realize 

 this as much as any of our largest marlcet gardeners and know 

 there is not a firm in the world which is more particular regarding 

 the purity of their seeds than we are, but still, like all other seeds- 

 men, we do not give any warranty, express or implied, as to the 

 description, qxiality, prodttctiveness or any othei- matter connected 

 with the seeds, plants, bulbs, etc., which we send out, nor win we 

 be responsible in any way for the crop. Every order received for 

 goods enumerated in this catalogue will be executed and sent out 

 only on these conditions. 



SEEDS FREE. — Extras are sent with each order, and many are the 

 kind letters we have received from our customers, who weresurprised 

 and delighted with the present of some new and choice seeds, plants 

 or fruits which were sent with their order. 



Our Plant Department. 



AT OUR GREENHOUSES on Como Ave., in this city, the most ex- 

 tensive in the Northwest, we grow all of our tender plants, young 

 roses, etc. At this place we employ experienced rnen who have made 

 a life study of plants and who know their habits and needs in every 

 particular. 



With all orders for plants we will send free our booklet. The A B 

 C's of Successful Floriculture, written especially for us by Eben E. 

 Rexford, of the Ladies Home Journal. This booklet contains much 

 valuable information on the care and culture of plants, and answers 

 many difficult questions which arise daily. 



Our Nursery Department. 



OUR NURSERY, located 15 miles east of St. Paul, is governed by 

 the same principle that has developed and built up our immense seed 

 bttsiness, viz.: strict integrity in discarding worthless varieties and 

 rigid tests in scrutinizing new ones. Nothing but well known, 

 tested varieties are offei'ed, and only the best stock shipped out. 



A certificate of inspection from the State inspector of Nurseries, 

 showing our stock to be free from San Jose Scale and all other injurious 

 insects and diseases will accompany each shipment. 



Realizing the importance of supplying good stocks and of treating 

 all orders large and small with the same care and attention, we have 

 built up our large business and point with pardonable pride to our 

 immense patronage which has been secured by Honest Methods and 

 Strict Attention to Details, and respectfully solicit the continuance of 

 your kind favors. 



Yours, for the best seeds, plants, and fruits that are produced. 



L. L. MAY & CO., St. Paul, Minn. 



