a 
W. F. Allen’s Plant and Seed Catalogue, Salisbury, Md. 
JFIfteit Reading tbe Stitambentty Descriptions 
I BEG YOUR ATTENTION LONG ENOUGH TO READ THE FOLLOWING: 
You will no doubt say that my descriptions 
read very much as if they were flavored with 
the same extract and that a Compound of 
adjectives in the superlative degree. 
1 know that the catalogue writer is severely 
criticised at the Farmer’s Institutes, Horti¬ 
cultural meetings and elsewhere, and in some 
cases, no doubt, justly so, but did you ever 
ask the Critic if he could write^a better cata¬ 
logue than the one he is criticizing, did you 
ever stop to consider that if he could, he 
would be able to command a salary consid¬ 
erably in advance of what he is earning at 
present. Now as to the strawberry descrip¬ 
tions contained in this pamphlet, there are 
no doubt a great many superlative adjectives 
used, and practically all these varieties have 
proven the best, the largest, the most pro¬ 
ductive, the best flavored, the firmest, the 
earliest or the latest, as the case may be, 
with some one. Some one of them will prove 
the best with you, but not all of them, and 
the one that proves to be your best will most 
likely not be the best for your neighbor, and 
the one that does the best for me may not 
be a favorite of either you or your neighbor. 
There are so many things to be considered; 
Mr. A. may have a low black, loamy soil, 
Mr. P>. a medium clay soil and Mr. C. a light 
sandy soil. Mr. A. may be growing for a 
local market where large size and good quality 
are the most essential features, Mr. B. may 
be growing for a distant market where firm¬ 
ness. and keeping qualities count for more 
than large size and good quality, while Mr. C. 
may be growing for the home table only, 
and with him quality is the most desirable 
feature. All three may be growing for the 
-same purpose and yet the same berry would 
most likely not be the best for each of them 
on their different soils. Almost every grower 
has a different mode of culture. As to what 
variety will do best for you must in a large 
measure be determined by yourself. I do not 
want you to think for a moment that I guaran¬ 
tee the description, either those that I give my¬ 
self or those I quote from other growers, to 
always fit the varieties as you will find them, 
because a change of location, a change of soil 
%or a change in cultivation and fertilization 
makes so much difference and has such a 
different effect on the different varieties, that 
to do so would be impossible. The descrip¬ 
tions given are to help you all we can to 
select what would suit you best. The infor¬ 
mation given is the best I can get from my 
own observation and that of other exper¬ 
ienced growers, and it is the same that deter¬ 
mines my own operations. No variety is a 
best with every one, and almost every variety 
is best somewhere with some one. This is 
why we carry such a long list. Were I grow¬ 
ing for fruit only I should not plant over six 
to eight varieties except in my test plot. 
Every progressive grower should set apart 
a row or two in his patch every year and 
plant 12 to 25, plants each of several kinds 
that you have not already fruited. You will 
find it very interesting, and you are likely to 
find something that just suits you for larger 
plantings. Several collections have been 
arranged for those who wish to do some ex¬ 
perimenting on their own account, and I 
venture to say that no one who does so will 
ever regret it. 
Now friends I have tried to be candid and 
square with you and I hope you approve of 
my course. If so, I should appreciate very 
much to do business with you and supply 
your wants in my line. Those who have 
been dealing with me know what kind of 
plants 1 send out, and you who have not dealt 
with me, 1 want you to give me your order 
this year and let me prove to you that no 
better plants are to be had anywhere at aay 
price. 1 shall not expect you to continue to 
buy from me unless I can show you that it 
is to your interest to do so. Try it and see 
for yourself if we are not mutually benefited. 
With best wishes and many thanks to those 
who have given me such liberal patronage in 
the past, and especially, for the large increase 
in business given me last year, and promising 
you that I will always try to merit your 
confidence and good will, I remain, 
Yours very truly, 
W. F. ALLEN. 
- -==•= MARYLAND^ 
CERTIFICATE OF NURSERY INSPECTION 
vEo iSftbom 'fit flDav? Concern: 
//,/.? IS 10 CERTIFY, That on I hr 3 day 190 examined 
r.*j. Or: 0: t iOr - . _ 
grmrutg V* nutterics at ^ ... 
County fodJkMtei. Slate of Maryland, in accordance with tk/lctss of Maryland, Qw 
jer 2 P 0 . Section 58 , and that said nurseries and premises are apparently fret, so far as can he deter¬ 
mined by inspection, from the San Jvse Scale, Peach YcliotOs, Pear Blight and other douf,rrons!y minnow 
insect pests and plant idisensci. 
I ll , certificate is invalid after -• /, 190 ^ 0 ml does not include nursery stock 
e c.ntl accepted by the State 
1 oiogist and State Pathologist. 
Park, > 
!•. sitfek is previously a 
vy ^ ■ 
7 , 
*" 
NUMBER OF PLANTS REQUIRED TO SET AN 
ACRE OP GROUND AT A GIVEN DISTANCE. 
Rows 24 inches apart, plants 12 inches in row, 
17,43:4 
u.mo 
12,44® 
wAm 
17,424 
»*,#*» 
11,616 
WB 
8,71* 
14,5*0 
11,61® 
9,880 
8,8*7 
7,283 
3 O ,»0 
8,712 
g,44f5 
8,719 
8,«S® 
4,978 
4,88® 
“ 
30 
“ 
“ 
12 
44 
“ 
36 
“ 
“ 
12 
44 
** 
“ 
42 
“ 
12 
44 
“ 
48 
“ 
“ 
12 
44 
(< 
24 
“ 
“ 
15 
.4 
It 
30 
“ 
15 
“ 
36 
“ 
“ 
15 
*• 
“ 
42 
“ 
... 
15 
(4 
it 
“ 
48 
“ 
15 
.( 
tt 
“ 
24 
“ 
“ 
18 
“ 
30 
“ 
18 
.( 
“ 
36 
“ 
18 
.4 
“ 
42 
“ 
18 
“ 
48 
“ 
“ 
18 
it 
24 
“ 
“ 
24 
30 
“ 
24 
“ 
36 
“ 
24 
.4 
42 
“ 
24 
<4 
<4 
48 
w 
24 
“ 
24 
“ 
“ 
30 
44 
44 
“ 
30 
“ 
<< 
30 
44 
ft 
36 
“ 
<< 
30 
44 
44 
*1 
42 
** 
30 
44 
“ 
48 
.. 
.4 
30 
44 
>9 
