To my many friends and patrons in the United States, Hawaii, cAlaska, £Mexico, Central cAmerica, 
Surope, China and Japan: 
GREETING 
UE to your kind patronage, the Bessie Boston Dahlia Farm is assured of success, and because of 
youi- laudations, it has become famous throughout a gn'eat portion of the civilized world. And 
thereby the di-eani of an invalid has come true. Will the many interested readers of this catalogue 
who have exijressed curiosity concerning the Bessie Boston Dahlia Farm and Bessie Boston, accept 
the following as a reply to their inquiries ? 
A number of yeai-a ago, while living in San Francisco, illness brought me to a state of invalidism. To 
regain health necessitated an outdoor life. It was then that there came to me the idea of growing flowers, 
both as a health and business venture. I had grown dahlias in a small garden and was fond of the colorful, 
beautiful blooms. 
I decided to move to the country and find a place that would meet all requirements for floriculture. 
My search took me to this garden-spot, San Mateo, which offered the necessary advantages, in its con- 
tiguity to a lai-ge city, adjacent to a much traveled highway, and having the reciuisite soil and climate. 
I began in. a modest way, converting a small tract into a dahlia garden. Much of the initial and 
later work was done' by Osam Shudow, a plant wizard, under my supervision. It was uphill work making 
that first garden. But when the dahlias came into bloom, it was ample recompense for the hard work. 
The beauty of the gaiden lured many to view it. Its fame spread. From a business ix)int of view it began 
to bring returns too. 
In a few years, I found it necessary to enlarge the farm, and planted more acres to dahlias. The 
increased work, making it necessary to devote the entire day to the farm, brought health in its train. A 
few years more of effort saw the farm established on a paying basis. 
I selected the name, "Bessie Boston Dahlia Farm," because of a famous dahlia named in my honor 
years jweviously by Mr. E. Leedham of Santa Cruz. My father was Joseph Boston of Santa Cruz. I 
mention the last named fact because many people believe I came from Massachusetts and have assumed the 
name for business purposes. 
The foregoing is a brief history of the Bessie Boston Dahlia Farm. 
Fi'om customers there have reached me this year, more complimentary letters than in all the years since 
the Farm was established. Many of these kind letters were from patrons living in foreign countries. 
The receipt of these missives has impelled me ta depart this year from the style of previous catalogues, 
in that I append two letters of encomium that express appreciation of the dahlias grown by me. These 
letters were among the many of similar tenor that I have received. 
The first of these letters is from John Lewis Childs, who wrote from Floral Pai'k, New York, referring 
to the dahlia I named for him : 
"I think it probably is the most remai'kable and perhaps, the finest dahlia in cultivation." 
Later, Mr. Childs won with this blossom, the first prize for the best fancy specimen exhibited in the 
New York Dahlia Show. 
The second letter I quote from, came from Arthur C. Phillips of Belle Mead, New Jersey. Mr. Phillips 
is a life member of the American Dahlia Society. In his letter, under date of August 9th, 1920, he says: 
"I take pleasure in writing and likewise it will give pleasure to read: 
"Osam Shudow bloomed yesterday. It is all and even more than you said in your catalogue. It meas- 
ures nine inches in diameter and really it is the most beautiful dahlia for color and size I ever saw." 
At the dahlia show in San Francisco, I was impressed by the frequency of the displays of Bessie Boston 
introductions. They were in every exhibit, and every prize winner displayed them. I also am informed 
that many blooms of my introductions were shown at the New York Dahlia Show. They are emphasized 
in the lists of California growers, and are beginning to appear in most of the Eastern catalognies. 
Among the prizes awarded to me at the San Fi'ancisco Show, three gave me much pleasure. "Shu- 
dow's Lavender" was given the first award for the best fifty blooms. "Rookwood" was awai'ded the beauti- 
ful prize donated by Mr. Wareham of the Kookwood Pottery Company of Cincinnati. I also won quite 
easily the large silver cup, offered by Mrs. James E. Wilkins for the best collection of two and three year 
old seedlings. 
Unsought publicity continues to add to the fame of the Bessie Boston Dahlia Farm. 
The Gaumont, News recently filmed a picture of the Farm, taken in November, even after the heavy 
rains and frost had done much to detract from the beauty of the field of blossoms. 
The Sunset Magazine, published in San f'^■ancisco, in its issue of September. 1920, contained an 
illustrated article about the Farm and myself, in its department under the caption of "Interesting 
Westerners." 
Then the Newsiiaper Enterprise Association widely disseminated another news article, which the Florists' 
Exchange republished with complim.entary addenda, also dealing with the Farm and its owner. 
A word of advice on growing dahlias: Do not be discouraged if a dahlia from any locality does not 
do well the first season it is i)lanted. Many varieties need to be acclimated. A second trial will prove the 
truth of this counsel. 
ELIZABETH W. LYMBERY, 
Formerly Bessie Boston. 
ORDER EARLY — Early orders are solicited to prevent disapiiointment in case the variety desired should 
be sold. 
FORWARDING — We ship tubers at the planting time unless otherwise requested. We prepay all 
retail orders when accompanied with remittance. 
GUARANTEE — We guai'antee that all dahlia tubers or plants sent are true to name. 
SUBSTITUTION— -We do not substitute unless expressly noted, or by permission: but it is well to 
mention a few varieties that you are willing to have substituted should some of those selected by you be 
sold out. 
PRICES — The following prices are for field grown divided tubers. 
CULTURE — In every box we shiii, we enclose full instructions for growing. 
