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SCHOHARIE, NEW YORK 
Introduction 
The nursery was founded in 1889 by Mr. F. A. Guernsey. Mr. Guernsey had been a nursery 
salesman for a Western New York concern before he decided to start his own nursery. The first 
fruit trees were grown at Schoharie where the nursery has operated ever since. The soil in the 
Schoharie Valley is particularly noted for its fertility, being a rich clay loam which produces 
heavy, fibrous root systems in our trees and plants. The business grew rapidly as people over 
an ever increasing area in Eastern New York began to demand Schoharie Valley grown nursery 
stock. 
The b usiness was incorporated in 1916 and at that time we began to grow ornamental trees 
and plants more extensively. Since the demand for ornamental nursery stock has increased so 
greatly in the last few years we are now devoting almost half our total acreage (100 acres) to 
the growing of evergreens, shade trees, shrubs, perennial plants, vines and other plant materials 
for landscape use. At the same time we have not neglected to increase and improve our list of 
fruit trees and small fruits. For instance, we were about the first nursery in New York State to 
offer the Cortland apple to the public in quantity. See back cover for our latest introduction, 
Peru Red Spy apple. 
Our business has been built up largely by personal contact with our clientele, either through 
salesmen or members of our concern. We have great faith in this method of reaching our cus¬ 
tomers, because a well instructed and intelligent representative can render better service than 
the best catalogue. He understands your needs and his expert advice and capable suggestions 
wi II be valuable to you. 
It has been our aim in this catalogue to present a complete list of the plants we are growing 
with short accurate descriptions. We wish to emphasize the fact that we are actually growers of, 
and not dealers in, nursery stock. We can prove this to you if you will visit our nursery and let 
us show you around the grounds. In short, we stand back of our stock to the extent of gladly 
making replacements where we feel that the claims for such are justified, although the only 
guarantee we make is that the plants will be true to name and up to the grade as ordered, and 
will arrive in fresh condition. 
Following is a sample of the many letters we receive from satisfied customers: 
F. A. Guernsey & Co., 
Schoharie, N Y. 
Gentlemen: 
Enclosed please find check of $19.10 for the order of fruit trees, etc., delivered to me yesterday. 
The order was received in good shape and it all looks like very good stock. I am well pleased 
with it. Any nursery stock that I may require in the future, I will order from you. 
Very truly yours, 
M. R. Simon, Delmar, N. Y. 
Nursery stock of proven high quality, proper equipment, a trained staff and fifty years ex¬ 
perience are the qualifications we offer in soliciting your trade. We will naturally appreciate 
any suggestions you can give as to how we may improve our service. 
