About Bodgers and Their Seeds 
Y EARS ago I dealt with John Bodger, the 
founder of the Bodger business and the father 
of the members of the present firm. I found him an 
honest and honorable seed-grower, and his seeds 
could always be depended upon for vitality and 
quality. When he passed on he left a noble heritage 
to his family in like inherent virtues, as well as a 
prosperous business. That business is today a lead¬ 
er in the seed industry, enterprising and progres¬ 
sive; and everything they introduce and recommend 
is outstanding and acclaims the attention of the 
most wide-awake and up-to-date horticulturist in 
the world. It is my great pleasure, therefore, to offer 
their products to my friends because I know they 
will give unbounded satisfaction to all who get them. 
Let me mention and recommend here a few of those 
products: 
Bodger's New Wilt-resisting Double Asters. Away 
back in my boyhood 
days I grew glorious 
beds of Asters and we 
never knew anything 
of Aster disease or 
wilt. Recently, how¬ 
ever, the plants be¬ 
come diseased just 
when the buds are be¬ 
ginning to open, the 
leaves wilt and the 
plants die, if grown 
from ordinary seeds. 
The Bodgers, realizing 
this condition, have, 
by painstaking efforts 
and experiments, de¬ 
veloped a way of over¬ 
coming this trouble; 
and once more we re¬ 
joice in being able to 
grow healthy and vig¬ 
orous plants and firs 
from Bodger's seeds. 
This has proven a 
great boon to the hosts 
of Aster-loving people 
who were discouraged 
by their efforts with 
the common Aster 
seeds. But this was 
not all. By energy and 
skill they so improv¬ 
ed the Asters in culti¬ 
vation that we have 
today the very finest 
strains of dble Asters 
known. I will not enu¬ 
merate them here, but 
refer you to page 27, 
where I offer and dascr 
BODGER’S MAMMOTH PERFECTION ASTER 
Note; The above beautiful original engraving was prepared 
for me by the skillful flower artist Mr. Ousey. He drew theflow- 
ers on fine boxwood and carved every line with little tools made 
for that purpose. The fine art of wood engraving is passing out, 
being replaced by photo engraving, which in my opinion does 
not generally show the subject so plainly or satisfactory. Park. 
•• 
be 
the best of these strains. 
My earnest advice is to get and sow only wilt-resist¬ 
ing Asters if you would avoid disappointment. 
Bodger's Dahlia-flowered Zinnias. These, devel¬ 
oped by Bodger's from the common double sorts are 
marvelous in size, form, and range of shades and 
colors. The plants are vigorous, branching and won¬ 
derfully free-blooming, while the flowers are showy 
as Dahlias and almost as large. The Bodger's have 
not allowed the flowers to deteriorate, but have 
constantly given them the best attention and have 
improved them in size and general beauty from year 
to year. Today these Zinnias are perhaps the most 
popular annual flowers under cultivation. They have 
no enemies, begin blooming early and continue to 
bloom throughout the season, becoming more showy 
and beautiful with age. On page 50 I offer these 
magnificent Zinnia seeds of the new improved crop 
from the Bodgers, and every seed can be depended 
upon for a fine plant and elegant flowers. 
I have all the neve shades and colors, and they are 
all included in the fine mixtures which I supply. 
Sow only Bodger's Zinnia seeds if you want the best 
results. 
Snapdragons. The Bodgers are now giving special 
attention to Snapdragons with a view of developing 
rust-resisting seeds of the finest named varieties, 
as v. r e now offer Aster seeds. The rust is not as trou¬ 
blesome yet among Snapdragons, so that they can 
be satisfactorily grown from imported seeds of Snap¬ 
dragon specialists. It is probable that err long the 
disease will become general, a condition much to 
be regretted. 
Bodger's Double Nasturtiums. The latest Bodger 
product is the improved double Nasturtiums in many 
bright and charming colors. Golden Gleam, intro¬ 
duced by them several years ago, created a sensa¬ 
tion, and it is indeed 
a grand acquisition for 
both greenhouse and 
garden. But this year 
new colors and shades 
some with peculiar 
and rich markings, 
surpassingly attract¬ 
ive and pleasing, are 
offered. And what is 
more, the flowers are 
giant in size, borne on 
long strong stems and 
produced in great a- 
bundance. They also 
show new shades of 
color not to be found 
in common Nastur¬ 
tiums. If you want the 
finest bed of double 
Nasturtiums, be sure 
to get Bodger '3 new 
mixture. You can de¬ 
pend upon the seeds 
producing double (not 
single) flowers of the 
many rich colors, and 
not a great surplus of 
the Golden Gleam 
variety which you may 
expect from other 
mixtures. I am glad 
to offer Bodger's Gor¬ 
geous Gleam Hybrids 
in mixture prepared 
by the Bodgers for my 
use. I offer them with 
confidence that you 
will be more than 
pleased with the re- 
14 
suits. This should be a "must have" in every order. 
Each packet of seeds 5c. 
Bodger's Gold Medal Dahlias. These also should 
be mentioned as the Bodger's Dahlias are unrivaled 
in size, variety of colors, and charming graceful 
form. The climate of California is just suited for the 
perfect development of these flowers, and the seed¬ 
lings afford the happiest results. 
Now, in closing I want to say that Mr. John Bodger, 
a senior member, has just made a tour of the world, 
going to Australia and from there to some of the 
leading florists in the world with a view of getting 
information about foreign gardens and their prod¬ 
ucts and getting a knowledge of now and rare firs 
that would be an acquisition to our present subjects. 
We may, therefore, look forward to other introduct¬ 
ions of high character from this energetic and wide¬ 
awake firm during the coming months. It is a model 
of enterprise, activity and skill. 
