GREETING 
TO OUR FRIENDS; PAST, PRESENT AND COMING 
The dahlia is rapidly becoming the favorite flower in this country. 
other tlov.'er has such a variety of shapes or such a wealth of 
ulossoms, lasting through the summer and fall months. No plant i-esponds 
.so promptly and gratefully to a little attention. 
• Many people aim Lo make San Francisco " The Dahlia Cily," and 
oJiors, more ambiLious, hope to make California the dahlia center of the 
world. "VVc grow dahlias from all pans of the world, and no better 
dahlias are produced than those which originate in this State. With this 
object in view we are devoting much time in producing new varieties, 
and can say, in all modesty, we are succeeding. 
Success is the result of hai'd woi-k, and while on this subject, it may 
be well to tell our readers the old story — that we won the (;raii(i I'rix 
for the best collection of dahlias grown at the Panama-Pacific International 
Exposition, San Francisco. Last year we continued to take many prizes. 
At the Dahlia Growers' 'Association Show at the Palace Hotel, San 
I'^rancisco, we won nine pj-izes, including three silver cups. At the 
Dahlia Show at the Exposition Auditoidum, San Fi-ancisco, under the 
auspices of the Pacific Horticultural Society, the California State Floral 
Society and the California Dahlia Society, we won nine prizes and two 
Awards of Merit for our seedlings. At the P'all Flower Show held by 
the Menlo Park Horticultural Society at Redwood City we won the silver 
cup for the best 100 blooms and five other prizes. 
Visitors are always welcome at our farm, especially in blossom time, 
when those interested in dahlias can make their selections in the held 
fj'o YL Lho flowering plants, with much greater satisfaction than fi-om 
catalog desci'iption. 
Tiic farm is located on the State Highway, near Tilton Avenue., San 
Mateo. Take car at I^ifth and Market Streets, San Francisco; get off a( 
lilton Avenue; walk two blocks west. 
And, in conclusion, we thank you for liberal suppoi't and tlie many 
kind and encouraging words, Vv'ritten or spoken, whicli we liave received 
from you. 
.H)S\ 'rill<: C A t,l KOI! \ I A S}Ai33,iA S(>('!iyi"i : Sljukt- is pitUo.i i ion in Scv- 
r«-(ary. .MOUtOM, I". \ A ^ i)i:i«5J H/S\ 725 S-iSdi A^cmu'. ,S;ni It.sl.m'l. 
CULTURE 
.Althongli of easy culture-, dahlias respond more readily to car(> ami 
titteiition. Any good soil will grow line dahli;is. I^repare the soil by 
working it over to a good depth with well-rotted manure, and work until 
it is thoi'oughly pulveiized. Tlio planMng in California may be done from 
the middle of Februai'y to June. In other localities piani afler frost. 
Plant tubers three or four feet apart, laying down flat at a dc-pth of f) 
incli(>s. Do not sUind tubers on end. If many shoots start up, thin lliem 
(nit lo one or two. Cultivate well until the plants begin flowering; aftrr 
(hat stir only surface to prevent a crust foianing. Plants must be libei'aliy 
watcM'od during dry weather. 
ORDER EARLY — Eaidy orders are solici.eu to pi'event disappoiiit- 
iiient in case llm variety desired sliould be sold out. 
I'ORWARDING — We begin to ship oui' tubers on February 1st, unless 
otherwise ordered. W(> prepay all retail orders when accompanied by 
cash. 
GUAUANTEP] — We guarantee thai all dahlia tubers or plants stml 
are true to name and in growing condition. It is obvious that we can not 
guarantee that customers will make plants or tubers live, as we hav(> no 
conti-ol ovei' conditions surrounding them and the care they will I'eceive 
after they pass out of our control. 
SUBSTITUTION — We do nut subslitule unless expressly noied, or by 
permission; but it is well to niention a few varieties that you are willing 
to have substituted should some of those selected be sold out. 
