JOIN THE AMERICAN AMARYLLIS SOCIETY | 
A Personal Letter to You. 
Dear Friends: 
Have you ever read a ‘“‘Pen Pal’’ column and noted therein the lonesome 
ones who crave letters? They should engage in a mail order business. We often 
get 100 to 200 letters a day in our busy season. 
Many are friendly letters, others requests for information and still others 
say, ‘for the enclosed remittance, please send—.’’ We like to get them all. But 
we cannot give an individual answer to many. But twice a year I write this 
personal letter—to you. 
Thank you for the words of appreciation, the increased volume of orders, 
for the exchanges of bulbs and even the many gifts of rare bulbs and bulb seeds 
which we try to repay. 
I am glad to be able to offer you the best bulbs we can grow and to give in 
this catalog the best culture advice that over 40 years’ experience permits. 
To this, I want to add my personal message to all those who love flowers. 
If you love flowers to the extent of collecting and growing them, you most likely 
have high ideals about all that pertains to human welfare. This fact has been 
illustrated in a few of our recent letters, expressing a hope for peace among 
nations. 
Without comment on present world affairs, there is a fundamental conclu- 
sion in which all will agree. Individually and collectively we need to cultivate 
sanity, probity and love for mankind even in its weakness. 
These are both individual and national needs. If we as individuals preserve 
our poise, we influence others to do the same. Thus we do our part in maintain- 
ing a national poise. 
A garden is a good place in which to think. We often think more sanely 
there than in an assembly. 
Associations with those who love flowers brings self improvement. Garden 
Clubs are as uplifting as service clubs even tho they talk only about flowers, 
and little about ideals. 
I am not saying that gardens are in any way a part of national defense. 
But they are a part of individual and therefore national poise. One item in a 
long series. Another item is enthusiasm for the affairs of our national life, edu- 
cation, religion, business, etc. Everyone should have a job and like it, give it 
the best he has, because it is a public service. There are plenty of jobs if we 
could only think more about our duty to society, which is to work, and less 
about society’s duty to us. 
We should all work hard, then relax. One of the most rational means of 
relaxing is to have a hobby. There are none more interesting than that of col- 
lecting and growing bulbs. Bulbs of the Amaryllis Family are most interesting, 
very diverse, and they intrigue not only our physical senses but our intellectual 
nature as well. 
Let me suggest that you join the American Amaryllis Society and grow 
some Amaryllids this summer. See Amaryllis Family for explanation of the 
Society and the way to join. 
Mrs. Houdyshel joins me in all good wishes to you. 
Sincerely, 
CECIL HOUDYSHEL 
