A LETTER TO YOU 
To write individually to every one of my 
customers who have written to me would require 
several months time and cost a few hundred 
dollars, pardon me, Dollars. 
But I have a message to every flower lover 
that I believe will interest you. 
Before telling you the “good news” I want to 
thank you for the liberal number of orders you 
have sent in the last year. They have enabled 
me to do certain interesting things that I will 
tell you about. The letters of appreciation for 
our bulbs, the stories of success in growing them 
and of the pleasure they give you, the letters of 
praise for my originations, are all most gratify¬ 
ing. Added to all this, our own intense love for 
flowers make this a most interesting enterprise. 
I note that in a paragraph above I have 
changed from “I” to “we”. It is not an “editorial 
we”. I was including my wife, Ethel, who is as 
vitally interested, as actively employed and loves 
flowers as much as I. She is saleslady, book¬ 
keeper, stenographer, shipping clerk, gardener 
and a few other things. In fact I had to sell the 
tractor to keep her from working the Orange 
Grove. While all I have to do is plant bulbs, 
hoe, weed, irrigate, dig bulbs, pick 3,0( 0 lbs. of 
avocados, write letters, checks and caial. 
nybridize and a few little tmngs nite tuat. Ui 
course we do have some help. So managing help 
is another job, 
Here’s the good news! Better times and your 
increased patronage have enabled us to add 
several of the world’s best varieties of bulbs. 
We search the resources of the whole world for 
new and best varieties and offer them to you in 
this catalog at the lowest possible prices. The 
catalog is the “Economy Type,” brief, not illus¬ 
trated but spread before you, it is the menu of 
a feast of beauty for your soul. Daffodils, new 
and old, even a couple that are tinted pink. 
Freesias, sweet scented and colorful, for almost 
nothing. Gorgeous Clivia hybrids, a little ex¬ 
pensive but last forever and grow in value. The 
exquisite Amaryllis, Sibyl Houdyshel, reduced in 
price for large bulbs. Inexpensive Colored Callas. 
An “everblooming” Bearded Yellow Iris. Many 
others 
I am enthusiastic about all these but sincerely 
believe my descriptions are most conservative, 
really inadequate. I hope you will try them 
and tell me your own opinion. Tell others. Send 
us names of friends who want our catalog. 
When you show our catalog to your friends 
and get them to send for it, plant a garden your¬ 
self, all you do to encourage the cultivation of 
flowers, is a social service of the highest value. 
This catalog is of value for the culture meth¬ 
ods given. Save it for future reference. It is 
brief, but fairly explicit. I advise you also to 
refer to Bailey’s Cyclopedia of Horticulture and 
Hortus in your Library. Also subscribe for The 
Flower Grower, Albany, N. Y. 
Sincerely, 
CECIL HOUDYSHEL 
TERMS, INSTRUCTIONS FOR 
ORDERING, ETC. 
If you are a new customer, the receipt of this 
catalog is an acknowledgment of your order. 
Thank you. 
Bulb orders are filled promptly during their 
dormant period and at the right planting time. 
All bulbs are ready now except some Lilies and 
Hippeastrums. These mature late and will be 
sent in plenty of time. Include everything in 
one order if convenient. 
NO C. O. D. orders accepted. This method 
adds at least 25c to your expense for two fees, 
one at each end. 
Remit by check, M. O. or currency. We accept 
no responsibility for lost coins or currency, 
however. 
Postage stamps accepted only at the rate of 
$1.08 for $1.00, when not possible to get a M. O. 
Postage on bulbs n prepaid on orders for 
$1.00 or more in U. S., Canada and any country 
where the rates do not exceed our 8th zone. If 
doubtful send some extra for postage. Orders 
under $1.00 send 15c extra. 
Sales Tax. California customers add 3%. 
Wholesale prices quoted to dealers only. Send 
list of wants, we have no wholesale catalog. 
Our Spring Catalog will reach you before 
planting time. It will list several new and rare 
bulbs. Wait for it. Our 193 6 Spring Catalog, 
containing article, “How To Grow Amaryllis” is 
available if you do not have one. Also nearly all 
the bulbs listed in it can be moved now safely. 
Names are dropped from our mailing list 
when no purchase is made in three years. If you 
desire to be kept on our list send at least a small 
order but if you do not and wish to receive our 
catalogs, just drop us a post card. 
Names of your friends who are likely to buy 
bulbs from us are appreciated. We prefer you 
ask them first if they would like to receive our 
catalogs. 
When neighbors or club members combine 
their orders and have them shipped together, 
we add something extra for each one. Include 
names of each purchaser. We give no other 
reduction than this to clubs. But our prices are 
already less for same sizes and quality. 
Exchanging. We are always glad to exchange 
for bulbs we do not have or those we can sell. 
Rar° bulbs sire W© qnDp|oli7<? 
in Amaryllids (Hippeastrums, Amaryllis, Clivias, 
Zephyranthes, Crinums, Hymenocallis, etc.) and 
gladly exchange for or buy any we do not list. 
For purpose of our Iris breeding we like to 
exchange for the new iris, but no old sorts. 
CULTURE OF BULBS 
Specific directions are given with each class 
offered in this catalog. Save it as a reference 
for it is a brief resume of a life time experience. 
Certain general directions fit all bulbs. The 
best soil is a rich, sandy loam, free from strong 
alkali and having good drainage. Any soil in 
which you can grow a good garden will be good 
for flowering bulbs. Alkali can be drained out 
of a soil. Heavy soils can be lightened by heavy 
applications of manure and spading under weeds 
and leaves. Sand can be added. If fresh manure 
is used, do it several months before planting. 
Just before planting you can spade in thoroughly 
rotted manure, preferably cow manure. Bone 
meal thoroughly mixed in helps. Use no other 
fertilizer, and don’t use even this for iris. 
After planting keep soil moist but not too 
wet. Keep our weeds and either mulch the 
ground or keep raked to prevent baking. Ground 
should never dry out nor bake and after growth 
begins above ground water liberally. 
BULBS FOR WINTER BLOOMING 
In the House 
I do not envy you who live in a climate where 
you cannot have a garden of flowers outdoors in 
the winter.; But I can help you to have flowers 
In the house, as many as you can afford and. 
have room for. You should have at least a few, 
for they need not cost much. 
The best place is on a shelf in a sunny win¬ 
dow unless you have a glassed in sun porch. The 
room need not be hot, 50 to 60 degrees in the 
daytime is enough for most, and night tempera¬ 
tures above freezing. During a cold snap when 
freezing temperatures are feared plants may be 
covered. Often a tub of water near them will 
help or a kerosene lamp or stove. Heated houses 
are of course safe. 
In potting place a little drainage material in 
bottom and use for potting soil, good garden 
loam, a little sandy and enriched with pulverized 
leaf mould or screened rotten manure. Be sure 
of good drainage. After potting, water only 
slightly until top growth is made. Leave the 
pots in a cool dark, well-aired place. Bring to 
light when top growth is well begun and water 
more liberally. 
These are the general requirements of all 
bulbs. Any special requirement will be men¬ 
tioned with the description of the bulb. 
Kinds to grow indoors. The following is a 
brief resumd of the bulbs in this catalog that we 
