occa T NOTICE 

We are advised from several authoritative sources that the serious 
freight car shortage will cause a transportation crisis this winter which 
will be worse than at any time during the war. Temporary embargoes 
will probably be declared. There simply aren't enough cars to haul 
the record-high production of crops and factory goods. We are 
informed that it will take two years to catch up and get adequate 
transportation. Strikes, or severe winter weather will further aggra- 
vate this situation. 
The smaller, less-than-carload shippers will be effected most seriously, 
and such shippers will resort to express in lieu of freight, thereby 
placing an additional burden on the already overtaxed Railway Ex- 
press Agency. Congestion is certain to result at times, with delays 
and possible embargoes. 
Shipment of Cuttings Effected . . . 
The conditions described above might seriously interfere with the 
shipment of carnation plants. Similar conditions raised havoc with us 
during the winter of 1945. Rooted Cuttings must be shipped as soon 
as they are ready to be lifted from the propagating bench. They can- 
not be held or stored. The loss of even a week during the shipping 
season would delay every order during the entire season, and’ would 
disrupt our propagating schedule. 
Air Transportation To Be Employed... 
We ask the consent of everyone placing an order with us to make 
shipments by AIR FREIGHT or AIR EXPRESS if ground express is 
not available, or if, in our judgement, the welfare of the plants would 
be jeopardized if shipped by ground express. PLEASE INDICATE 
YOUR CONSENT ON YOUR ORDER. 
AIR FREIGHT costs about three and a half times as much as ground 
express, but is not available to all areas. AIR EXPRESS is more 
expensive, but is available almost everywhere. We would ship by 
AIR FREIGHT when possible. If you are located not too far from 
an airfield served by AIR FREIGHT, it is just about as rapid as AIR 
EXPRESS. The extra cost of transportation by air is an excellent 
investment when ground express is uncertain. 

