6 HENRY FIELD'S SEED SENSE FOR MARCH, 1950—Henry Field 
HENRY FIELD’S SEED SENSE 
“FOR THE MAN BEHIND THE HOE” 

Published by Henry Field Seed & Nursery Co. 
Field No. 1 Building Shenandoah, Iowa 
Mrs. Henry Field, Editor 


- 
Contributors 
“Alfalfa” John Nicolson (Seed) Helen Field Fischer (Flowers) 
Pate Simmons (Seed & Nursery) LeOna Nicolson (Nursery) 
(eo. Rose (Nursery) Irving Steurer (Garden Seed) 
Deane Schneider (Field Seed) —& all my friends and customers 
; Subscription Price—A Garden Seed, Field Seed 
ae or Nursery Order 



: I’m Keeping Busy 
Yes, I still have our Ozark farm where Henry and I spent so 
much time when we weren’t here at the Seedhouse. Jim Wim- 
satt stays down there the year ’round, just like always, and is 
taking care of the place. JI was down there myself last month, 
and all the crops and the garden look good. But I have it up 
for sale because it is too much for me to have to travel back 
and forth now. 
I am still living in our house here in Shenandoah, right 
next door to the Seedhouse. I run over to the Seedhouse every 
day. My father lives next door to me on the other side and I 
<pend quite a bit of time with him, particularly since he hasn’t 
been feeling well lately. 
But our Ozark farm will always be a pleasant memory to me. 
As Henry and I used to ride in our car through the country, 
he always watched the fields and farm yards along the road, 
and commented on the crops and garden and lawns, just like 
you probably do. But one thing always bothered him, and that 
was the scarcity of fruit orchards and fruit trees in the yards. 
Quite often we would stop at farm homes and talk to the 
people, and we learned, as you know, that one reason a lot of 
people didn’t grow more fruit is because it was so much bother 
and expense to keep them sprayed properly. That always 
worried Henry, and he took it as a personal challenge. For 
years he planned and worked on the idea of an easy-to-use, 
cheap spray that would be a “‘shot gun” dose, as he called it. 
He kept up a voluminous correspondence with chemical com- 
panies and universities on-the subject. And finally, as new 
chemicals came out, he could see the realization of his dream. 
He finally decided that the best one was the one developed 
by Dr. Swartwout of the University of Missouri, and he made 
arrangements for us to have this one manufactured and offered 
for sale in our 1950 Spring catalog, He always said that if 
people could get a spray like that that they would’be glad 
to grow their own fruit, and that it would be a big help to them. 
Henry had a hand in the introduction of a lot of new helps for 
gardeners and farmers, and this Combination Fruit ‘Spray was 
one of his last, and he considered it one of his most important. 
As I told you in the big Spring catalog, I have taken over the 
running of our hatchery. I’m mighty proud of those new High 
Kgg Production Pedigreed Males we put with our Leghorns 
and White Rocks this year. They’re beautiful chickens, and I 
know that those of you who buy baby chicks from these flocks 
are going to be very happy with them. ~ 
People my age begin to think about retiring. Particularly 
clerks and mechanics and people like that who have always 
made a fair salary and saved a little, but haven’t got rich. 
And it is amazing, and gratifying, to learn in talking to them 
how so many of them have figured that when they retire they 
will get a little home on a few acres and raise their own fruits 
and vegetables and flowers, and raise berries, particularly 
strawberries, to bring in a little extra cash. 
_ They can do it, too. A lot of them already are. Maybe it 
is something you ought to be thinking about. I would suggest 
that if you have any such plans that you start getting your 
hand in now. Don’t just move out to a small acreage and put 
in an acre or more of strawberries. You ought to learn a little 
about it now, before you retire. Plant some strawberries or 
raspberries in your back yard. Learn about the different 
varieties, and how to take care of them, and how much cash 
they will bring you and where you can sell the berries. Then, 
when you make the move, you’ll know enough about it to avoid 
some errors that may be costly and spoil the fun. 
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the 
righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” 
(Psalms 37-25) 
- different name.is put down: 
Seed & Nursery Co., Shenandoah, Iowa. 


~ 
Stu and I on the “Letter Basket” Program | 
Most of you know and have heard our well-known “Letter — 
It is one of the oldest, continuous ~ 
Basket”? program on KE'NF. 
programs in radio. “‘Stu’”’ handles the program every day and I 
drop into the studio and help whenever I can. ee 
A lot of you have been wondering what he looks like, so here 
is his picture. 
everyone calls him just plain “Stu.’”’ He started at the Seed- 
»4 
His real name is Irving Steurer, though most 
house in 1922, so is very well trained, as are all the boys here, — 
and he knows just how the business should be handled. You 
can be sure that your orders and letters are in good hands. 
—Bertha Field. 
Moon Sign Planting Dates for 1950 
Some of you folks, we know, are interested in the planting — 
dates for 1950 according to the moon signs, so here they are 
as we figure them. If you want to know more about moon 
signs, better get the Llewellyn Moon Sign Book advertised on 
page 50 of our catalog. 
subject. It sells for $1.10. f 
Potatoes (early)—March 4-17. Best days 11th and 12th. 
Potatoes (late)—April 2-16. Best days 7th and 8th. . 
pieeiey radishes, onions, and other root crops, same dates as early 
2 Corn— (Including field corn, sweet corn, and popcorn) May 16-30. 
any” 
It is the best book put out on the ~ 
Or in the south or in a very early season April 17-30. Late crop 
June 15-28. 
Beans, melons, cucumbers, squashes, same dates as corn. } 
Tomatoes, cabbages, ete., in hotbeds or in the house, March 26-27. 
Cabbage, (outside)—March 18-31 or April 18-19. . 
Late Cabbage—May 16-23 
Peas, (also Mustard, Kale, and Chard)—same dates as cabbage 7 
outside. z 
Butechering Dates, March 4-6. ‘ 
_ Weeds and Briars. 
sprouts and briars and big weeds jin the sign of the heart (Leo) in 
the dark of the moon in July or August, (July 28-30 and August 
11-138, this year) they will not sprout up again but will die. 
“Trust in the Lord and do good, so shalt thou live on the land, 
and verily thou shalt be fed.” r 
‘ (Psalms 37-3) 
Are You Getting Two Catalogs? 
If your family is getting more than one catalog, we would 
sure appreciate knowing about it. We send out a catalog to each 
name on our list, but sometimes different members of families 
The Missourians say that if you chop your se 
or different people at the same address order from us and each > 
to the same address, and because of this we sometimes don’t 
have enough copies to go around. If you do have an extra 
catalog please do us a favor by passing it on to a friend, and 
then let us know about it on the coupon below. Thanks. 
(J I received more than one catalog or copy of Seed Sense. 
My name 18. civieeciesiccecccbenwaticceecevics Mt. OF Fits Mac cthcime stems 
VEY: CONV TT iilv.evoiteleta eons soe e cece es ecessntscecessne DUALS seevctens wipes "a8 
Duplicatepis- addressed tO «cuties odes ecieies Wee 255d een Ovi ig 
Name 
So, two or more catalogs are sent 
