MUMS FOR '42 
Regardless of war conditions all indications 
THAT FRONT COVER point to an active business situation thruout 
is of our Annette admiring 1942 at least. This means that we can look 
Indianapolis White. We have 
high regard for this last sea- 
forward to profit in uniformly well grown 
son’s introduction. At its best beds of mums. 
with us about Mid-Novem- : : 
benatier thetheayy: averiape When properly managed there is a margin 
plies of around November Ist of profit in this crop. Our cost accounting 
are past. Identical in habit clearly shows this. But if such details as 
to Indianapolis Pink. timely planting, spacing, soil, midge, and va- 
rieties are not properly attended to, the 
profit margin can quickly disappear—might 
even turn into a substantial loss. To make a profit they must not be 
treated as a catch crop. When a lot turns out to be a loss, as does hap- 
pen with us at times, the reason can usually be traced back to a prevent- 
able cause,—late planting, weak or diseased spots in the bed, or midge. 
When we have to fight this pest all summer we don’t sometimes realize 
the cost in time and material that it is piling up against the crop. The 
use of improved varieties does frequently make the difference between 
profit and loss. If you are skeptical on this, just remember that real im- 
provements are coming out annually and that live growers are watching 
for them: and that on an open market the variety that is just a little 
better sells first: any experienced shipper knows what that can mean to 
returns. True, a new variety might occasionally be gotten that doesn’t 
click as well with us as with the originator; but it is our experience that 
many failures with new ones is due to inferior culture. 

Another cost item that might easily be overlooked, without a cost find- 
ing system, is that of young stock. It is a fact that many large growers 
who figure costs and the advantages of having their cuttings delivered 
the day planned for them are ordering their mum cuttings thru this cata- 
log. When mums are propagated early, planted out or potted, and topped 
and again planted in May or June, they have run up a substantial cost, 
but the heaviest is the fact that such stock will not usually start off and 
continue growing as free as cuttings right out of the sand—delivered the 
day you want ’em: besides planting cuttings directly reduces labor costs 
to a minimum, and to make a profit on mums or any crop, every cost must 
be studied. Uniformly good quality is of first importance but it means 
nothing if it doesn’t leave you a margin. Whether your requirements are 
10 or 100,000, we want to hear from you. 
Palys 
