nineteen Hundred and Ten 
INCB handing you mv last catalogue wo 
))) ^ . (If have all passed another milepost along 
]// tTi \\f life’s highway and I hope; that every 
// \\ reader of Alien’s catalogue finds himself 
II \\ or herselt happiei, wiser or ’ichor than 
IW Wl you were one year ago. And now that, 
VV 90 7/ behave aunched our craft on the broad 
sea of 1910 let us strive with all <>ur might 
to make good pilots and let us be ever 
watchful least we miss some friendly breeze that would 
promote our calling and fill our sails with success: let us 
• lear our deck for action with a determin ition t > make 
thisvoyage of 1910 a memorable one by bringing our 
ship in port with flying colors and heavily ladened with 
a rich cargo. As to whether this comes true will in most 
cases depend largely on our own efforts, 
1909 with me has been a decided success. Our plant 
and seed business has in *reased fu'ly twenty-five per 
cent over any previous year and for this I am indebted 
to several thous «nd satisfied customers many of whom 
have sent their friends to me for plants. I 'ullyapprec- 
iate such confidence and goodwill of those who have 
dealt with me and assure you I shall always try hard not 
to give you cause to regret sending your orders to me or 
recommending your friends to do so. vve have again 
had a very dry summer and the plant crop is quite short 
in general, not only in this section but in many others. 
By constant cultivation, heavy fertilization an t increas¬ 
ed acreage I have succeeded in growing a good substan¬ 
tial stock of most varieties and especially the good old 
standard kinds. In order to take good care of our cus¬ 
tomers and their friends I shall do very little if any ad 
vertising this season. I followed this course last year in 
order to take good care of my customers and they have 
taken good run- •>! me and I believo they will do so 
again W#> wore navar bettor equipped to handle your 
business than wo are now It us my constant aim to 
please every ms omer a- d we nave almost succeeded in 
doing so there being otu v four or five real complaints to 
every thousand ord««rs filled and wo are now growing 
more of the things tli it our people want, such as Goose 
b t ries, Currents, |{ mpberries, blackberries. Grape 
Vines. Oraamentai Shrubbery Hedge Plants, Chrysan- 
themuns. Hardy Phlox, D.ililias, (’ami is, etc. Vegetaole 
plants a so have become quite an item having sold sever 
al million the past season. We expect to increase this 
trade this season and shall prepare to do so. 
Before closing these few preliminary remarks I want 
to thank you for that order you sent me tnis year, for 
you will, won’t you V It is indeed gratifying to be able 
to say that our sales for 1909 went far ahead of any prev¬ 
ious year and it was you kind friends » hat made it possi¬ 
ble and I think the business was handled the best, the 
promptest and the most satisfactory of any previous 
season, But we are not satisfied yet, we expect to ex¬ 
cel even last year’s record in every way and we want all 
our friends and their friends to stay right with us and 
if we do not please you it will not be because we do not 
try. 
Again thankinr you most sincerelv for your orders 
and for your kind words to others (of which Ave have 
many evidences) I hope to again soon be busy filling 
your orders which I assure you I shall try to do to your 
entire satisfacti >n. May happiness and prosperity be 
served with a liberal hand to every reader of this cata¬ 
logue is the sincere Avish of Yours faithfully, 
W. F. ALLEN, Salisbury, Md. 
Please Read This, and then, Please Read li Igain 
We fill Strawberry plant and other small fruit plant 
and Shrubbery orders any time after November 1st dur¬ 
ing November, December. January, February, March 
April and until May 1st. From May 1st to May 10th avg 
will fill a limited number of orders on any stock that is 
unsold and put it in the very belt possible order but at 
purchaser’s risk as to results. 
After May 10th and during June, July, August. Sep 
tember and October we most positively will not till any 
orders for small fruit plants. (This hoAvever does not 
apply to vegetable or flower plants.) 
During March and April the great planting season al¬ 
most oure tire attention and that of over one hundred 
employees is given up to filling plant orders. 
Weare willing to answer any questions during the 
summer months as promptly as possible, if Avritten in a 
short letter and to the point. Long letters are subject 
to long delays. This notice Avas made necessary from 
the fact that we receive hundreds of orders for straAv- 
berry plants during the summer months Avhen Ave have 
no plants in fit condition to transplant and Avhen not one 
in 1 on could make even good plants groAv if Ave could 
send them, unless it Avere potted plants Avhich avg do not 
grow at all. Thanking you for yourattention, I remain, 
Yours faitfifully, 
W. F. ALLEN, 
Salisbury, Md. 
mV*M' 
ixMki km ^ 
