mre QUESTION / 
8) 2ced Buying: 
MERICANS throw away millions of dollars every year on unnecessary things without giving 
it a thought. Yet when it comes to making a purchase we take pride in seeking bargains— 
buying a little cheaper than the other fellow. This instinct is commendable when the product 
bought is something whose quality can be seen and easily judged—like clothing or furniture. But 
when you are buying legal or medical service, economy can be disastrous. 
The quality of seeds cannot be seen—cannot be judged by even the most expert, therefore 
we can class seed buying along with legal or medical advice. In these cases the source is the vital 
question. Seeds may be branded with all kinds of fancy names that would lead you to believe 
that they have certain qualities but you cannot tell whether these qualities exist until you have 
spent months of time and effort to mature the crop. Therefore it is apparent that the question 
of price should never be considered when buying seed. 
Now then if we are not to consider price and we cannot see the quality of the seeds we buy, 
how are we to judge them. Seeds should be judged by the source from which you secure them. 
If you buy your seed from a local merchant who must ever be afraid that his competitor across 
the street will sell them cheaper than he does, you can expect to get the cheapest seed he can buy. 
Tf you buy them from a merchant who is not equipped for handling and storing seed, you can 
expect to get just what he is equipped to give you. If you buy them from a man who is careless 
in keeping his stock, you can expect to get just what his haphazard methods happen to give you. 
If you buy from a merchant who does not know seeds, you may get the best that he is able to 
supply with his limited knowledge. 
The source from which you secure your seed is the all important point to observe. It is the 
only tangible evidence you can get as to their quality. 
The modern seedsman does not grow the seeds he sells. He is an expert in seed production, 
seed buying, and seed handling. He knows where each crop produces its best seeds—what men in 
these sections can be relied upon to send him the best stocks. From the four corners of the earth, 
he compiles his seed stock—each variety grown by an expert in his line. He knows the charac- 
* teristics of each crop and how to handle and care for the seed to see that they reach you, properly 
labeled and in the prime of their vitality. 
You may have to order by mail and wait a few days to get seeds from such a seedsman when 
you could easily step around to the corner store and pick up what you want in a few minutes— 
but think of the difference in what you will get. The seedsman knows that his entire business— 
his life’s work depends upon the satisfaction you get from every packet of his seed and you may 
rest assured that he is putting his best in every packet. 
The house of Slate was established seventy-six years ago and through three generations has 
been handed down from father to son. The experience and the connections of such a business 
cannot be computed in dollars. We have combed the seed gardens of the world for seventy-six 
years to obtain the best seeds. We have men who have devoted their lives to the seed business— 
they know how to secure, store, and send you the best seeds obtain- 
able. Don’t you think that the best way to buy seeds is from this 
Slate’s catalog? 
SLATE SEED COMPANI, INC. 
SOUTH BOSTON - VIRGINIA 

MARK January 1, 1942 
