a*/ 5LY1*< 
Chicago AMERICAN BULB CO. NewYork 
I ...“-"Trillin — Mil ■ ■ |j||||j||_ i IJUiMJMLIlUJMMJliWBJOL-iJ_ 
\jtrtT2 \ /tr 
[7 
A. B. C. “Supreme” Quality 
FLORISTS’ FLOWER SEEDS 
Fifty Years of Flower Seed Knowledge is at 
Your Service, added to which is a sincere desire 
to supply the trade with "that quality" which is 
necessary for the welfare of both the buyer and 
ourselves, our Flower Seed Business, consisting 
of supplying Florists and Nurserymen exclu¬ 
sively, makes it imperative that we search out 
Specialist Seed Producers of the World for the 
Best Strains obtainable, and our success in 
doing this is, we are glad to say, attested by 
the fact that we enjoy the confidence of thou¬ 
sands of satisfied customers. 
May we have the pleasure of serving you? 
AMERICAN BULB COMPANY. INC. 
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK 
HOW TO IMPROVE GERMINATION OF FINE SEEDS ESPECIALLY DURING 
HOT WEATHER SEASON 
Mix "Sorbex". (The Finest Peat Organic) with soil in seed flats and pots. 
Soil for Seed Flats. A perfect mixture for the tender germinated seedlings 
is one part "Sorbex" to two parts screened garden loam—by volume. 
Prepare this mixture several days in advance of sowing seeds to allow 
the "Sorbex" time to absorb some moisture. If time is a factor, moisten 
the "Sorbex" somewhat before mixing with the soil. 
"SORBEX." Per 10-bushel bag. $2.90 
(Follow this by applying "Formaldehyde" or "Ansul Dust") 
What Causes Damping-Off? Few growers realize that such diseases as 
"Damping-Off" and rots of seedlings are caused by living germs. Disease 
producing germs live normally in the soil and on seeds. The only success¬ 
ful way of preventing these diseases is to sterilize the soil and disinfect 
the seed. 
(Excerpt from Florists' Review, issue of January 24, 1935) 
Formaldehyde for Damping-Off. Dr. C. E. F. Guterman of the department 
of plant pathology (Cornell University) told of recent developments in the 
control of damping-off of seedlings. The use of formaldehyde for treating 
soils for seed planting was recommended where it is not possible to use 
steam as a means of sterilization. It was shown that two scant teaspoons 
of commercial (forty per cent) formaldehyde mixed with about ten tea¬ 
spoons of water make sufficient solution to treat one average-size flat 
of soil. The soil is spread out on the bench and sprinkled with the for¬ 
maldehyde solution. It is then thoroughly mixed and placed in the flat. 
After the soil has stood twenty-four hours, the seeds may be planted. One 
pint of formaldehyde is ample to treat fifty flats of soil. 
LIQUID FORMALDEHYDE. Qt.... 95c Gal... . $2.95 60-lb. kegs. .. $9.90 
ANSUL DUST. Also a popular remedy for Damping-Off control: 
1-lb. cans. 75c (plus postage) 
5-lb. cans. $2.00 (plus postage) 
25-lb. drums. S5.50 (shipped express) 
SPECIAL NOTE 
For cash with order we allow special 
5% discount on all orders for flower 
and vegetable seeds. This discount, 
however, does not apply to other 
merchandise listed in this book. 
(See page 2 for general discounts.) 
A. B. C. "Private Stock" Petunias 
at Lake Shore County Club, Glencoe, Ill. 
The scene opposite depicts a bed of fifteen 
hundred (1500) Petunias "A. B. C. Private 
Stock Mixed" (Eriksson's strain) planted from 
3-inch pots on grounds of Lake Shore Country 
Club, Glencoe, Ill., 1937. This bed was truly 
"A sight to behold" all summer long. Note 
even growth of plants, approximately 12 
inches high. This dwarf superbissima strain 
is in a class by itself. (See center of this book 
for colored illustration and price of seed.) 
J~- 
T- 
rrisri 
lESSs 
* 
tFSC 
INFERIOR SEEDS ARE A WASTE OF THE GROWER S MONEY 
3 
