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MILLION or so years ago, Lake Erie’s Ohio 
banks were not where they are now, but miles 
farther inland. Two recessions occurring a long 
time ago exposed the seven different soils of that 
section, so eminently suited for nursery products. 
It is in these seven distinctly different soils, of the 
old lake bottom, that Wayside Gardens are produc- 
ing yearly such quantities of plants that, if set 6 
inches apart, would make a continuous row 630 
miles long. 
It’s by far the largest hardy plant nursery in the 
world. Great care is taken in growing the plants 
in the particular one of the seven soils in which 
they best thrive. 
Each soil has been carefully analyzed by scientific 
experts. Nothing is left to guesswork. No need- 
less time and money are spent by this great firm in 
soil experimenting. They started with definite 
proven facts, which you at once sense is one of the 
reasons for Wayside Gardens’ outstanding reputa- 
tion for highest-quality stock. 
Another reason is their absolute ruthlessness in 
ploughing under or totally discarding any and all 
plants that do not come up to their high pedigree 
standards. They select and breed plants with the 
same care that is taken with dogs, horses and cattle. 
Not so long ago, 30 acres in all were entirely 
stripped and replanted, just because for reasons 
beyond their control the plants were not up to 
standard. 
You get some idea of the magnitude of this firm’s 
operations, on learning that they have an annual 
production of over six million plants, in two thou- 
sand different varieties. It’s a regular thing for 
them to have 300,000 Phlox, 125,000 Oriental Pop- 
pies, 200,000 Delphiniums and so on. 
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GROWN ON SOIL 
MANY MILLION 
YEARS OLD 
REPRINTED FROM ARTICLE 
IN FLORIST REVIEW 
They have recently increased their propagating 
department by adding five Lord & Burnham green- 
houses, equipped with Richmond concrete benches. 
Each of these houses is connected to a brick head 
house, which is the last word in up-to-date arrange- 
ment and equipment. 
In their thirteen houses, are grown each year over 
three million young plants, which during spring 
and fall are moved into fields for further develop- 
ment. Some three and one-quarter million are 
grown from divisions or seed not receiving pre- 
liminary greenhouse treatment while in their juven- 
ile stage. In addition to all their plant business, 
Wayside is known as the largest single importer of 
top-quality tulips and rare and unusual bulbs. 
They have been the introducer of many of the fin- 
est things in bulbdom. 
Getting back again to plants, new varieties are 
constantly being developed. Two outstanding re- 
cent ones are Phlox Columbia and Barberry 
Mentorensis. 
They are working hand and glove with M. H. 
Horvath, in connection with his new hardy roses, 
which have great sturdiness and resistance to un- 
usually low temperatures. Six of these hybrid 
roses will be introduced extensively next spring. 
Several more are under observation and expected 
to be ready in the next two years. 
Wayside was the first nursery to ship its plants by 
airplane to Hawaii on the Clipper ship. Extensive 
shipments are made to India, China and many of 
the European countries. One of their good buyers, 
believe it or not, is the chief of an African tribe. 
Take time off and visit this great Wayside Gardens 
concern at Mentor, Ohio, as I just have. You will 
come away with a new conception of the nursery 
business, and a new stimulation for your own. 
