An important message from the 
youngest member of the Whittens — 
C. A. WHITTEN 
of the 3rd generation^ 
☆ 
1940 
begins the 
SECOn D 
fifTy-y£flfl 
PERIOD 
of lUHiTTEn SMmficy in 
Valued.! 
I was literally bom and brought up in the nursery business. 
From the time I was able to toddle. I was constantly with my 
grandfather—and then with my father—around our farms where 
we grow so much of the fine nursery stock we sell. 
It was constantly drilled into me that we Whittens had a 
definite obligation to our customers—that we had earned a fine 
reputation, and that nothing—ever—should be allowed to cloud 
that good name. 
When our fine old family firm became a part of THE 
WHITTEN-ACKERMAN NURSERIES, it didn't make any differ¬ 
ence in our pride in the name and reputation our family had 
built. 
At the time my father was taken ill, and had to give up 
active work in the purely commercial end of the business, I was 
being schooled in the methods of operation necessary to this 
type of work. In a short time I was ready to take my place in 
the business. From that time on, I have been actively engaged, 
both in the office and the outdoor end of the organization. 
I learned the game from the ground up, and all the time I was 
right there at work, keeping alive the family name and active 
interest in the business. 
Now that we are once more operating as an entirely inde¬ 
pendent concern, I am mighty glad. Father is back in the har¬ 
ness again, and together we plan to go right on working hard 
to make the SECOND fifty-year record of the WHITTEN name 
in the nursery business just as fine as the first half-century 
has been. 
Your patronage will be welcome, and we will serve you 
honestly and courteously to the best of our ability. When you 
look through this 1940 catalog, filled with attractive "buys/* 
I know that you will recognize them as evidence of our sincere 
wish to give you better values, 
C. A. WHITTEN, 
Asst. Manager. 
WE OWN AND OPERATE 
OUR OWN FARMS IN TH€ H€ART 
OF MICHIGAN’S FRUIT B€LT . . 
Growing much of our own fine stock 
