Well! Here We Are Again! 
with another new Iris Catalogue that is more elaborate 
than ever. I keep promising myself that I will issue 
these elaborate catalogues only every second year, just 
sending out a price list during the alternate years; but 
I never have been able to resist the temptation of 
getting out a new catalogue each year, with new and 
better colored illustrations. This one is the Masterpiece 
of them all, and as I have received many complimentary 
letters regarding previous issues, I am sure this one 
will be fully appreciated. 
But there is unfortunately the other side of the 
picture that must be considered. These elaborate 
catalogues cost a lot of money, and as I send out three 
catalogues and several folders each year, all illustrated 
in color, it costs me about a dollar a year to keep 
a mame on my mailing list. This represents the 
profit on about $10.00 worth of business from each 
name each year before we can begin to make a profit. 
However, I do keep on the mailing list all whose orders 
amount to $5.00 a year or more. I wish it were possible 
to just ignore the question of cost and keep all names 
on my mailing list indefinitely, but the fact that I 
have spent $50,000 during the past ten years mailing 
catalogues to those who asked for them and did not 
buy anything, and were eventually dropped from the 
list, is sufficient to indicate that it is not a matter that 
can be ignored. 
I AM LOOKING FOR FIFTY THOUSAND 
NEEDLES IN FIFTY THOUSAND HAYSTACKS. 
To put it another way, I am looking for 50,000 names 
to be added to may mailing list, names of active buyers 
of plant material, who are likely to buy enough stock 
each year so that I will not be money out of pocket by 
keeping them on my mailing list. Perhaps you may 
know of some likely prospects in your community. If 
so I would appreciate your sending them to me. My 
present list of customers is a list of ‘“‘Who’s Who” 
and others among flower lovers, and includes many 
present and former Governors, Senators, and other 
high government officials, movie stars, and those 
prominent in the theatrical world, famous attorneys 
and statesmen, prominent women who have made 
names for themselves in various walks of life, as well 
as just every day plant enthusiasts. The late beloved 
Queen Marie once wrote me in happier days from 
Bucharest, after I had planned an Iris collection for 
Her Majesty’s gardens by special request: “I am very 
pleased with your list of Irises, and delighted to see 
the personal interest you take in my collection. You 
may be sure that your plants will be in the hands of a 
great flower lover.” 
It has been my aim, by testing thousands of new 
plants, to be able to offer plants of higher quality, 
that are not readily obtainable elsewhere. 
All orders will be filled with large, strong, 
healthy, flowering size plants and all plants are of 
course guaranteed true-to-name. There is no place 
in the world where this is more carefully guarded 
than in my gardens and on my farms. 
I always send the finest plants I have of the variety 
ordered. Hach variety will of course be properly labeled 
and carefully packed. 
I ship them all over the world successfully and they 
arrive as safely abroad, where I make many shipments 
annually, as they do right in my own State. I have 
never had a single complaint about one of the foreign 
shipments, so no matter where you are located you 
need not hesitate to entrust your orders to me. 
If you prefer to leave the selection to me, rather 
than decide upon it yourself, just give me an 
idea of what you would like and | will be pleased 
to give my personal attention to making the se- 
lection for you, making the selection as carefully 
as though it were made for my own planting. | 
am sure you will be more than pleased with any 
selections | make for you. 
All prices are strictly net cash. Prices are per 
plant, excepting where otherwise stated. 
Planting and cultural directions will accom- 
pany ail shipments. 
C2 4e2~ A cg ronan 
As I receive many thousands of small orders it is necessary for me to avoid the 
details of billing, book-keeping and collecting these accounts. Therefore a check, 
money order, cash, or stamps should be sent with the order. In case cash or stamps 
are sent the letter should be registered for your protection. If you live on a Rural 
Route, your letter carrier will be glad to buy a money order for you. No shipments 
are made C, O. D., as we have found it very unsatisfactory. 
For several years I tried the experiment of prepaying the express charges or 
postage. While the amount paid on an individual order was usually very small, I 
have learned by experience that twenty or thirty thousand of such payments 
in a season wipes out all the profits, whereas if each purchaser will pay the small 
express charge on his shipment, it will not be a hardship on anyone. I will therefore 
hereafter send everything by Express. charges collect, the small express charge to 
be paid to the express company on delivery of package. It shipment by parcels 
post is necessary, please include sufficient to cover postage. 


Sir Michael—25e ea.; 12 

for $2.50; 100 for $18.00—See Page 26 
