PUDORS) INC. 
ATTENTION! 
BEFORE YOU BUY DELPHINIUM SEEDS FROM US 
OF LAST FALL’S CROP, PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOW- 
ING CAREFULLY: . 
There are still some people who have an idea that such 
seeds will not germinate satisfactorily or not at all, if sown 
in the spring; possibly they have tried it and “they knew it’’. 
But there are always some people who don’t succeed even 
with fresh seeds 10 days or a month old. 
We have assured our customers over and over that such 
an idea is entirely wrong. Last season’s seed crop is just as 
good and strong in germinating quality (if stored and 
treated in the right way) as it was last fall with only this 
difference: In the fall the seeds will germinate within 10 
days or 2 weeks, (if at all), but in the SPRING it will take 
from 2 weeks to a month before it will germinate; this at 
least has been our experience for many years past. And the 
eee of seedlings resulting, will be just as large as last 
all. 
If you think a minute it does not seem plausible nor 
reasonable that good seed gathered as late in the fall as 
September or even October in some cases should lose its 
virility within 5 or 6 months. In fact one will get a good 
germanation from such seed throughout the whole year. 
Customers have done better than that. 
We always make our largest sowing in the spring of 
the year, the last of April, clear up into May and use exactly 
the same seeds and the same mixture that we sell you. 
Such sowings give us the thousands of small seedlings that 
we Sell in the following fall. Has it ever occurred to you 
that if our spring sown seeds are not any good and did not 
germinate satisfactorily, we could not sell the large number 
of seedlings that we do sell in the fall and at such a low price? 
The fact of the matter is that often older seeds—several 
months old—will germinate better (though slower) than 
very fresh seed. 
The verility of flower seed depends a great deal upon 
the condition under which the seed is kept or stored, such 
as temperature, light, moisture and air: Needless to say. 
that we store our seed over the winter under the very best 
conditions, in the most approved manner. 
A well-known authority once said that gardening is 
more or less of a gamble—certainly seed sowing is, espec- 
ially of seeds that require some experience, and watchful 
care. The modern Delphinium Hybrid certainly belongs 
to that class; we admit you can’t treat the seed like you 
would raddish seed. 
Here are a few causes of failure with Delphinium seed: 
Planting too deep (% inch is plenty) we have had some 
customers admit that they planted the seed an inch deep! 
Keeping the seed bed too wet, especially when planted 
into flats, which causes always the “damping off’’ of the 
seedlings if you do get any germination. And not apply- 
ing enough moisture, which causes the germs to die; here 
is where experience and good judgment comes in—the 
happy medium. 
Too high temperature or direct sun; never sow Pel- 
phinium seed in the hot summer time unless you can find 
a cool spot for it; this causes many failures of fresh seed 
in the summer. And so, don’t sow your seeds in a hot green- 
house. Delphinium seeds require a cool temperature, sixty 
is best, certainly not as high as 70 or 80, the temperature 
of most greenhouses. Many customers turn their seeds 
over to a greenhouse man; almost invaribly a failure results, 
when they labor under the impression that a greenhouse 
man should certainly know how to germinate the seed. 
A low ‘‘bottom heat’ is okay and will hasten an even 
germination. And don’t sow your delphinium seeds and 
keep your flat in a cellar or attic. Present “rationing of 
heat”? for your house at 65 should prove a satisfactory abode 
for your flat but keep it away from radiators and near a 
light window. 
There are many other causes for failure: Ants will 
earry off the seed; small slugs will eat the germs the very 
night they break through the soil. Mice will eat and carry 
off the seeds. One customer last year complained that she 
BUY ATU Py 
WASHINGTON 5 
got only a few plants from seeds sown in a flat; one day 
she discovered that a mouse had started housekeeping in 
the flat; she was nice enough to apologize later on, and 
bought another package. 
Customers who buy a package of the ‘““HYBRID” Del- 
phinium and a pack or two of the Bella Donna type will 
nearly always get a 100% germination of the Bella Donna 
type and very few or none of the Hybrids, which they can’t 
understand and complain about. All we can say to this is, 
that the Bella Donna seeds are much easier to grow than 
the “Hybrids” and will stand a lot of abuse and neglect 
and then give a fair germination, but the intricate Hybrids, 
more or less inbred for many generations, will not stand 
that neglect and bad treatment, and if they get it, they just 
won’t germinate, even though the seeds have been grown in 
Elysium. 
Finally, we guarantee our seeds to have been tested, to 
be fresh, viril seeds of the last season’s crop, gathered from 
many individual plants (possibly one individual plant might 
produce poor seeds, but certainly not dozens or even hun- 
dreds of our seed bearers would produce poor seed (but 
we will not and can not guarantee that the seed you buy 
will germinate under your care and treatment. 
UeS~ PLEASE NOTE: The 1943 Delphinium Seed Crop is 
usually ready last of July to August first; plenty of time to 
get strong seedlings before winter comes. 
DIANTHUS OR PINKS 
ALWOODI ALPINUS. One of the best rock garden pinks; many 
large doubles and fancy singles. Exquisite colors. Height, 6 
inches. Per pkt. 20c. 
“DELIGHT.” A free flowering Hybrid; wide range of colors; 
perfectly hardy and easy to grow; blooms the first season. 
Height, 9 inches. Per pkt. 20c; 1/16 oz. 60c. 
WINTERI. Striking new pinks; wide range of color, deliciously 
scented; blooms first season; hardy. First Class Certificate 
Royal H. S. Per pkt. 20c; 1/16 oz. $1.00. 
DELTOIDES SUPERBUS (Major Stearn). Tiny rock pinks, gray- 
ish foliage, masses of dainty little flowers pink to crimson. 
Per pkt. 15e, 2 for 25c. 
PLUMARIUS. The old fashioned clove scented GRASS OR 
CLOVE PINKS. Self colors of various tints of pink, rose. 
salmon and white and the same colors in combination with a 
bright crimson zone. Blooms are 1% to 2 inches; stems 12 
to 15 inches; free flowering. 
D. PLUMARIUS “SPRING BEAUTY”. Extra double Giant 
mixed. This is a very fine strain of this type of Dianthus; 
very superior to others. Per pkt. 10c; 1/16 oz. 25e. 
BEST MIXTURE. Single and double mixed (not separate). Pkt. 
10c; 1/16 oz. 25e. 
SWEET WILLIAM (Pink Beauty). Pkt. 10c; 1/16 oz. 25e. 
SWEET WILLIAM (Scarlet Beauty). Pkt. 10c; 1/16 oz. 25e. 
SWEET WILLIAM (Barbatus). Finest mixture. Per pkt. 10¢; 
1/16 oz. 25e. 
DIGITALIS (Foxglove) 
LITZ’S HYBRIDS. Novelty. Salmon-pink shades. 4 ft. 1/16 oz. 
35¢e; per pkt. 10c, 3 for 25c. 
THE SHIRLEY. Magnificent strain, enormus flowers from pure 
white to deepest rose. 5 ft. Mixed. Per pkt. 10c; 3 pkts. 25c. 
D. ALBA. Pure white Foxglove; very beautiful. Per pkt. 10ce, 
3 pkts. 25c. 
GRANDIFLORA LUTEA. Yellow. Dwarf specie for the rock 
garden. Height, 18 inches. Per pkt. 15e; 2 for 25c. 
GIANT PRIMROSE FOXGLOVE (Novelty). Most attractive color: 
not yellow and not white, just pure primrose color. Per pkt. 
20c. 
