OUR BULB PRICES ARE LOWER 
A Personal Letter To You 
Dear Floral Friends: We hear much comment about rising prices. I am 
not an economist and do not attempt to generalize or draw a conclusion regard- 
ing their necessity, beyond fundamental facts. 
It seems to me that if labor, food, clothing, 
shelter and the simple luxuries cost more, the 
end of the circle is in the same place, and no 
one is much better off. I must frankly admit 
however that I want to see the worker, the 
agriculturist and the small business man get 
more for his product in a coin that really 
buys more. 
This is a land of plenty and there is enough 
for all. It is that way with bulbs. We have 
a much larger crop than last year, but it also 
cost more to produce it. 
In writing this catalog and fixing prices we 
were confronted with this problem. Shall we 
raise prices to meet the increased cost of pro- 
duction and of doing business? Our decision 
was, No. We will lower average prices and 
do more business. We have been guided by 
that principle and where our stock allows it, 
prices are reduced. A few are reduced 20% 
to over 35%. The average is definitely lower. 
But the average prices for other commodities 
is inclined to be in-definitely higher. 
Tulips and Hyacinths for American gardens 
come mainly from Holland. A small portion 
of our Tulips are grown in America but prob- 
ably four-fifths to nine-tenths must be im- 
ported. But the European supply is cut off. 
Our Tulips are grown in the best section, Washington. They cost us two and 
one-half times as much as when we established our price of 40 for $1.00. To 
sell for that price this year would be at a loss. To sell as profitably as before 
we would sell 16 bulbs for $1.00. But we decided to handle the item this year 
at a price which considers the good will of our customers rather than profit. 
Our profit if any will be small. The price must be attractive as our first cus- 
tomer bought 25,000 in advance of catalog or price lists. Probably you should 
buy early if you want Tulips. 

Hyacinths are not grown commercially in America. We can offer only 
those grown on our ranch, Roman Hyacinths in blue, white and pink. Fortu- 
nately we have been building up a stock for several years of some of the more 
rare Scillas and offer a much longer list. They are near relatives of the 
Hyacinth. But the best substitute of all for potted Hyacinths is probably the 
Veltheimia. One bulb is equal to several Hyacinths and costs less. 
If flowers are food for the soul, we offer you in this catalog an extensive 
menu, one that will delight you. The culture directions will enable you to grow 
them. They are more complete than are usually contained in catalogs because 
we want every bulb we sell to fulfill its destiny. 
May you have a grand success with your next garden. 
Sincerely, 
CECIL HOUDYSHEL. 
