WISEMAN-DOWNS CO., INC. - 34 E. PRATT ST. - BALTIMORE, MD. 1 
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU! 
W ” HETHER you write, phone, wire, or call upon us at our store, we are at all times ready to serve 
you; as we have a corps of efficient men, each of whom has either been born and raised on the 
farm or very closely allied to it and we feel that we are in a position to know and to help you 
with your farm problems. While it is true we do not grow all the seed we sell, we are actual growers 
of some items and we are constantly on the alert for new and better varieties; being in close touch with 
the better growers in the United States, England, Holland, Germany, France and Italy, we are prepared 
to serve you with the very best “Seeds that Grow,” either for the farm, garden or greenhouse. We are 
always ready to help in the extermination of the many insect pests which have been so prevalent for a 
number of years. We do extensive field work along this line and are always on the watch for the most 
effective insecticides to control same We keep up to date with the most modern farm machinery and 
garden tools that are dependable and durable, which makes for good farming and gardening. Bring 
your farm and garden problems to us and we will gladly help you. In this catalogue you will find much 
useful information, such as cultural instructions, how to make cold and hot frames, what and when to 
plant, etc. We thank you for your patronage in the past and hope you will let us continue to 
“SERVE YOU.” 
WISEMAN-DOWNS CO., INC. 
BUSINESS RULES AND PROCEDURE 
PLEASE ORDER EARLY, thus enabling us to forward 
promptly—as a rule the day after the order is received. 
During the March and April rush we may fall a day or 
two behind; if any greater delay is likely we will advise. 
If goods ordered do not arrive in a reasonable time, send 
a copy of the order with letter of inquiry. This will be 
a great help in expediting adjustment. 
THE ORDER BLANKS accompanying this catalogue will 
be convenient for customers and facilitate our filling orders 
(extra ones mailed on request). 
PATRONS IN SIGNING ORDERS are requested to use 
prefix Mr., Mrs. or Miss. Married ladies should invariably 
use husband’s initials. 
WE GUARANTEE THE SAFE ARRIVAL in United States 
of all goods forwarded by express. 
WE FORWARD AS CUSTOMER DIRECTS by Parcel 
Post, express, freight or steamer, in accordance with our 
offers elsewhere in this catalogue. When no shipping in¬ 
structions are given, we send according to our judgment. 
ALWAYS GIVE FULL ADDRESS.—This is very impor¬ 
tant, yet is sometimes omitted by customers; in fact, some 
orders and letters reach us lacking both name and address. 
REMITTANCES may be made by Express Money Order, 
P. O. Money Order or Bank Draft; if stamps or cash send 
in a Registered Letter. We must decline sending goods 
TO PREPARE A 
The Cold Frame is simply a frame set on the ground, no 
bottom heat being applied. It is banked up on the outside 
during the Winter with marsh hay, straw or coarse litter. 
The soil is prepared by forking in and thoroughly mixing 
to the depth of 10 or 12 inches a liberal quantity of old, 
well-rotted manure. The manure of an old hot-bed is good 
for the purpose. The frame is prepared in the Fall, and 
young Cabbage, Cauliflower and Lettuce plants are set out 
in it in time to get well established before very cold wea¬ 
ther. Cauliflower and Cabbage should be set down to the 
first leaf and the soil made firm around the plants. The 
seed is usually sown, in this vicinity, from the 15th to the 
20th of September. The young plants will be ready to 
transplant in about 25 to 30 days. During cold nights and 
C. 0. D. unless 25% of their value accompanies the order. 
Plants we do not ship C. 0. D. 
ACCOUNTS.—Parties having no account with us—who 
order goods without remittance—must furnish satisfactory 
reference. Baltimore city reference preferred on account 
of the shorter delay pending investigation. 
WE MAKE NO CHARGE FOR SHIPPING AND CART¬ 
ING of goods to any railroad station, steamship line or 
express office in Baltimore City proper. 
WE MAKE NO CHARGE FOR PACKING, except special 
for foreign shipments, as tin-lined cases, double sacks, etc., 
then we charge cost. Cloth bags we charge for, viz.: A 
peck, 10c; V 2 bushel, 12c; 1 bushel, 15c; 2 bushels, 30c. All 
Grass Segd bags are furnished free excepting for Timothy 
and Clover. 
QUESTIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE.—We endeavor 
to answer promptly all letters of inquiry—which should be 
on separate paper from orders—but we cannot undertake 
the planning of gardens and grounds. 
ERROR IN THE FILLING OF ORDERS.—We use the 
greatest care in filling, checking and packing orders. Yet 
should anything be omitted we will promptly forward when 
advised. Keep a duplicate copy of your order for com¬ 
parison. 
COLD FRAME 
stormy days the beds should be closely covered with the 
sashes, and these further protected by straw mats or shut¬ 
ters. Cauliflower needs more and closer protection than 
Cabbage, and it is rather more tender. During mild days 
admit air freely, the object being to keep the plants in a 
dormant state, without actual freezing, so that when 
Spring comes they are in a forward state for setting out 
early crops. Seeds of Cabbage, Cauliflower, Lettuce and 
Raddish may be sown in a Cold Frame in the Spring from 
the last week in February to the first week in March. 
The frame should stand in a warm and sheltered spot, and 
be kept from freezing by mats or a thick covering of straw 
during cold nights. 
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING A HOTBED 
In this vicinity from the first to the latter part of March 
is quite early enough to make a Hotbed. The time must 
vary according to the latitude. Provide a quantity of fresh 
horse manure from the stables, and add to this, if they can 
be had, one-third to one-half its bulk of leaves. Mix them 
thoroughly, tramping down the mass in successive layers 
and form into a large pile, so that fermentation will pro¬ 
ceed even in severe cold weather. In two or three days 
fermentation will be apparent by the escape of steam from 
the heap. Now turn again, and allow the heap to remain 
two or three days longer, or until the second fermentation 
commences. Make an excavation or pit 214 feet deep and 
of a size suited to the number of plants required. The pit 
will be better if built up of brick. It should be made in 
some dry, sheltered spot, facing the south or east, if pos¬ 
sible. Hotbed sashes are usually 3x6 feet, and one or two 
sashes will give early plants enough for a small family. 
The frame for sashes should be 18 inches high at the back 
and 12 inches in front, which will give the proper slope 
to catch the sunlight. Cross-pieces should be placed for 
the sashes to slide on, to facilitate opening and shutting 
the frames. When everything is ready, the manure is 
placed in the pit and trodden down firmly in layers to the 
required depth, 2 to 214 feet. Then put on the sashes and 
keep the pit closed until the heat arises. At first it will 
probably be 100 degrees or more, which is too hot to sow 
the seed in, but in two or three days it will subside to 90 
degrees or a little less, when the soil may be put on to 
the depth of 6 to 8 inches. The heat may be readily ascer¬ 
tained by plunging a thermometer into the manure. The 
soil should be of well-rotted sod (or common garden soil 
will do), mixed with about one-third of fine old manure, 
and in this the seeds may be sown thinly in drills 2 or 3 
inches apart, and afterwards (as soon as out of the seed 
leaf) either thinned out or else transplanted to another 
frame. Air must be given every mild day by raising the 
sashes at the back. Water with tepid water whenever 
necessary, and during cold nights and snow-storms keep 
covered with mats or board shutters. Tomatoes, Peppers 
and Egg-plants should be sown in a separate frame from 
Cabbage, Cauliflower and Lettuce, as they require more 
heat. The same directions may apply to Hotbeds made on 
the surface of the ground, except that the manure should 
be at least a foot wider on all sides than the frame. 
