Greetings 
FRIENDS and CUSTOMERS 
OLD AND NEW 
BELIEVE a heart to heart talk will give us a good opportunity 
to become better acquainted. You may be interested to know 
that Dahlias were my hobby thirty years ago; I loved flowers 
but never dreamed of being in the business. I’ll tell you how 
it happened. My neighbors had several old-fashioned dahlias, and I 
purchased a few; I took good care of them, and the flowers I produced 
were larger and more beautiful than theirs. I became interested, 
and whenever I saw a color I did not have, I added it to my collection. 
They were like so many children, as I learned to call them all by name. 
My friends became interested in my Dahlias, and urged met to 
sell them the new colors I had purchased; thus I started in the busi¬ 
ness, with only sixty Dahlia plants. That was thirty years ago. My 
desire to secure a greater variety lead me to search for the best and 
newest. In a few years I had all the varieties that American Dahlia 
specialists grew, and learning that new dahlias were being originated 
in England and France, I sent for catalogs. That year I imported 
twenty varieties, and in the Fall the sales from my surplus amounted 
to $72.00, not much; but enough to encourage me to go on. 
Thinking other Dahlia lovers outside of East Bridgewater would 
be interested to know more about my favorites, I issued my first 
catalog in 1895. It was a very modest affair, but it did the business. 
The next year I exhibited at our local Fair, winning several premiums. 
Two years following, I imported thirty-two new varieties; which with 
my collection, lead me to believe I could win at the Boston Show, which 
at that time was the largest Dahlia exhibition in America. I staked 
mine against the best, and won first prize. Since then my exhibitions, 
together with my growing exhibits at the World’s Fair, St. Louis 
Purchase Exposition, Jamestown Exposition, Alaska-Yukon-Pacific 
Exposition, and Panama-Pacific Exposition have won honors of highest 
degree, acknowledging my Dahlias universally unsurpassed. This 
past season I made more exhibits than ever before in the different 
states, winning first prize in all of them. It is unnecessary to say any¬ 
thing regarding the exhibits I have made at the different horticultural 
and agricultural societies in the past. Every person that ever saw 
my exhibit knows that it was fully as good, if not the best that was 
ever made in the place where I exhibited. 
My ambition to develop something better, larger and more beauti¬ 
ful in Dahlias, than was already on the market, lead me to experi¬ 
menting. My first results from hybridizing were very gratifying, 
and each year I have devoted considerable time to cross-pollination, 
with very satisfactory results; and only wish I had more time to 
devote to this work — it being very fascinating. Many of the varieties 
in this catalog are my own seedlings, and I am developing choicer and 
better varieties each year, and will introduce them as soon as my stock 
is sufficient. I have named many new seedlings for my customers, 
as a recognition of their love for flowers, and at the same time showing 
my appreciation of their orders and recommendations. 
My intense enthusiasm and my desire to have the largest and most complete collection of Dahlias, have lea 
me to all parts of the World, in an effort to secure the largest and finest varieties. Many are offered herein, but 
on some of the newest and choicest, where my catalog circulation is very large, my stock is insufficient to allow me 
to list them at this time, but they will appear in my catalog as soon as my stock is sufficiently large, fenouia 
you have in mind some new creation that you do not find listed, I would appreciate it if you will write me, as 
have all that are worthwhile and will be pleased to supply you. . , , ^ • 
My interest in other flowers developed with that for my Dahlias; and soon my private garden became 
adequate. I had made careful selections, keeping only the best varieties, and each year eliminating the others. 
Soon I had a surplus of Gladioli and in 1902 offered choice varieties in my catalog. Since then I have always 
been on the alert keeping my collection up-to-date, and each year have added to my catalog some new bulb or 
plant, until now I have the largest collection and greatest number of varieties of Dahlias in the world; together 
with my complete collections of Gladioli, Peonies, Iris, Phlox, Bulbs, Hardy Perennials Ornamental and flower¬ 
ing Shrubs, and Evergreens. Each year I strive to secure the very largest and best of the new varieties, elimi¬ 
nating those that have been surpassed. If I can be of help to you at any time in laying out your flower bed 
and grounds, or, if you wish my opinion on new varieties, feel free to write me, and I assure you 1 am always 
your^service. ^ constructed a storage * an d shipping plant, from which your orders are shipped. This building 
has a cement cellar containing 11,700 cubic feet of storage room and 4,680 square feet of floor space. In addi¬ 
tion to this, I now use eight other cellars in which I store my bulbs, plants and shrubs. ... , , , 
It may interest you to know that I have been acknowledged the largest Dahlia grower in theworld, devoting 
nearly forty acres of my two hundred acre farm to them this past year. I especially invite you to make a per¬ 
sonal inspection of my plant. In past years many of«iy customers and friends have come long distances to visit 
my garden during the flowering season. I have an auto drive through my gardens, and they are open lor your 
inspection at all times. Come and bring your friends, as visitors are always welcome, and I assure you every 
courtesy will be shown you. T>i„„ +a 
If you are looking for some first-class up-to-date stock, whether it be Dahlias, Peonies or Hardy riants, 
do not hesitate in placing your order in the hands of a firm who has been doing business for 27 years and guaran¬ 
tees satisfaction. My stock is all tested before being shipped to my customers; it is grown on my own larms, 
and I give special attention to producing good strong roots, which is the important part or a plant to insure - 
factory results. I shall take as much pains in the future as in the past, to send out nothing but hrst quality stock, 
and to continue the same prompt, liberal and conscientious dealings. Hoping to receive a share ot your pa r 
age this coming season, I am. Yours for floral success, 
J. K. ALEXANDER, The Dahlia King 
(Copyrighted) 
January 1. 1922 
EAST BRIDGEWATER, MASS 
