A PERSONAL LETTER — TO YOU 
Dear Floral Friends, 
Greetings from La Verne, California. This catalog is arriving a little late and the 
excuse is a good one. I had an attack of flu in early spring and against my doctor’s 
advice, I tried to stay on my feet and keep going. 
As a result, I had two months illness and a slow 
convalescence. I am still like one of my war-time 
employees who said he had two speeds, slow and 
stop. 
Other factors causing delay follow. This 
catalog required more careful preparation than is 
usually required. We wished to revise and lower 
prices. We subscribe to the belief that every in- 
dustry and every merchant should do that. In fact, 
we hold the theory that these rising prices are the 
worst inpediment to American industry and full 
recovery from the effects of war. 
We have had to abandon a lease on a few 
acres, thus reducing our growing acreage. As a 
result, we have quite a few surplus bulbs. I have 
fixed the prices on these so that the 100 rates are 
below the usual wholesale prices. In some cases 
they are only about one half. I refer you to quantity 
prices on Watsonias, Scillas, Brodiae uniflora, Or- 
nithogalum arabicum, Brunsvigia rosea etc. 
One of the very desirable bulbs included in 
these surplus bulbs specials is Leucojum aestivum 
or Spring Snow Flakes. They are hardy everywhere 
and usually flower before snow has gone. It belongs 
to the Amaryllis Family. 
The prices on surplus bulbs will interest all 
those who wish to use quantities of 100 or more 
bulbs of a kind for landscape use or for commercial purposes because they are mostly 
below wholesale. The single and dozen rates are also very low. 
We have returned Easter Lilies te our list. They have not been listed before since 
the beginning of the war. Very careful instructions for forcing them and for bringing 
them into flower for Easter, or for a certain date, are given. 
All these things made writing this catalog a larger task than usual. I hope that 
it is good enough to make a weeks delay in receiving the catalog excusable. 
I want to call your attention to our longer list of orchids. At the present time, 
the orchid to buy for quickest results is Laelia anceps. Many of these are budded. It is 
more expensive to pack and to ship one with blooming scapes started, hence they will 
cost more but nearly all of our L. anceps costing $5.50 or more should flower. Those 
with buds showing are of course more sure. Many even of the $3.00 size are likely to 
flower next winter and sure to next year, with proper handling. 
Please do not delay ordering orchids until cold weather arrives as we cannot guarantee 
safe arrival in winter. Express is the only safe method of transportation then and if 
ordered in winter it is better to ask us to ship by express at your expense. 
If you have already tried to grow the American epiphytal orchids and have failed, 
do not conclude that you are unable to grow orchids. They are really easier to grow 
than tuberous begonias. Perhaps you started with unestablished, recently imported plants 
and lacked the information and the simple equipment necessary for success. 
Let us make a simple comparison. The conditions of life necessary for a fish are 
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