2 
Three Generations of Seed and Plant Growers 
FATHER, 
SONS 
AND 
GRANDSON 
THE HISTORY OF OUR SEED BUSINESS 
We apologize to our old customers for this reprint. 
We want our new customers to know all about us. 
Maybe our old friends would also enjoy reading it again. 
1st Beginning in the ages of the ol<} 
ist voeneranori Cradle and Rake when every . 
thing on the farm was done by hand and back work, 
Dad started farming with Mr. Greenlee, a pioneer 
farmer of old reliable Scotch parents. In those 
days land of course was cheap, but money was 
scarcer than hens’ teeth and crops very poor on 
account of inferior seed and lack of proper culti¬ 
vation, so you may know it was mighty hard sled¬ 
ding for a good many years; still I guess it was a 
good thing, for those lean seasons, when it was hard 
to produce’ enough to pay the interest on the mort¬ 
gage set Dad to thinking and figuring how to make 
both ends meet, and he concluded the best way out 
was to use extra care in selecting his seed, breed¬ 
ing it up to the highest standard possible and to 
spare no labor in preparing and cultivating the seed 
beds after planting. This worked out well and 
really was the motive or incentive instilled in him 
in pioneer days, transplanted to we boys a few years 
later, w T hich makes it possible to serve you today 
in a pleasing and particular manner. 
O n J Gf»nPMlion By vas during those early days 
^na veneration that John and Leonard were 
born and as we grew up under Dad’s careful in¬ 
structions we naturally followed his trend of 
thought, so at the age of 13 we both started work¬ 
ing out on a small truck farm at the enormous wage 
of 40c a day. Well do I remember my first day: 
The boss started John picking peas and I weeding 
asparagus, and honestly the rows looked a mile long. 
We stuck to it though, even if it was hard work, 
and I’ll never forget if I live to be a hundred how 
proud we were when we took our first pay home to 
Mother. She, too, was proud of us, for while we 
worked hard and were dirty, she knew it was honest 
work and Dad needed the money, and we were glad 
to help even though it was only a little. 
"As You Sow So Shall You Reap" 
Well, this went on for a few years, Mother insisting 
we go to school winters and garden in the summer. 
BE FRIENDLY — WRITE OCCASIONALLY — (TELL YOUR NEIGHBOR ABOUT US) 
As time passed we realized more fully the necessity 
of planting good seeds to produce good crops, for 
we saw many failures from poor seed; consequently 
we went into the seed-growing business on our own 
account, and today we personally grow on our own 
farms and rented ones thousands of bushels an¬ 
nually of beans, peas, corn, radishes and other seed 
crops, so we are still actual farmers and really 
more so than ever before, and we know full well 
the necessity and wisdom of planting only the best 
seeds that grow, for the old proverb, “As you sow 
so shall you reap,” is more pronounced than ever. 
Being actual producing farmers and gardeners, we 
know your needs in seeds and understand your 
wants, your trials and your troubles, so please don’t 
hesitate to inquire for any information not given 
in this hook. It’s yours for the asking and it’s free 
whether you buy our seed or not, although we think 
you will buy our seeds now that you know how 
carefully they are grown, for there’s none better at 
any price and few as good. 
The Trial Grounds Te|l the Truth 
On our Famous Rock River Valley Seed Farms at 
Rockford, Illinois , we conduct one of the most ex¬ 
tensive Trials -of Vegetables, Flowers, etc., in the 
country. You are cordially invited to visit us and 
inspect these growing crops. Our display of Tulips, 
Paeonies, Gladiolus and other flowers will be a gor¬ 
geous sight from early spring until late fall. 
Trd ion In closing, we want to intro- 
ora voenerauon duee Leonard C ondon, Jr., to 
the new customers, for he is the lad that will be 
serving you later on, and he wishes to thank his old 
friends for the many kind letters and orders sent 
last year. Looking forward with pleasure to serv¬ 
ing you this year, we are, yours sincerely 
Condon Bros., Seedsmen 
Over 250,000 Planters 
Use CONDON'S Seeds, 
Plants and Bulbs Annually 
Guaranteed to Please 
"Condon's Seeds Satisfy" 
A Trial Will Make You a 
Permanent Customer 
Prices Lower Than Ever 
