Price Lists. About once a year we issue Orchid Price List, Saintpaulia 
Price List and The Iris 400, a price list of higher priced Iris aristocrats. Appli- 
cants are also placed on these special mailing lists. If you really intend to 
buy from us, they are free. If you want them only for the valuable culture 
advice therein, please send 10c for each one wanted. 
Correspondence. We enjoy your friendly letters. I answer them twice a 
year in our Introductory Letter. It is a fact that I work twelve hours a day 
or more and am still unable to answer all letters requiring it. Read entire 
catalog before asking questions. 
We include in our catalog and price lists about everything necessary to 
success in the culture of the bulbs, orchids and plants that we list. Most of 
our letters of inquiry ask us to repeat information given therein. One of my 
greatest joys is helping people with their garden problems. That is why we 
put all this information in our catalogs, but it’s getting along toward late 
afternoon for me and I can’t write quite as many individual replies as I would 
like to do. But if necessary to consult me, make the reply easy. Where possible 
make it a questionaire that I can answer yes or no. Enclose a self addressed 
post card or envelope. 
Identifying Bulbs. We usually can. Send flower, foliage and if possible a 
bulb. Give all facts known. Enclose self-addressed postcard and attach your 
letter to outside of package. We do not attempt to identify horticultural 
varieties of Gladiolus, Iris, etc. 
Time of Delivery. All bulbs are delivered within range of correct planting 
dates. Delivery dates in catalog are sometimes only approximate. 
If you like our catalogs, their friendly tone and the information they 
always contain and wish to continue to receive them, it is necessary that you 
give us your orders. That is our only means of financing their publication. 
Sometimes we receive a contribution of $1.00 to $5.00 saying, “I don’t need 
any bulbs, but keep sending the catalogs.” We would rather sell you the bulbs. 
Since orders under $1.00 are an expense to us and unprofitable, they are not 
counted as entitling the customer to remain on mailing list. We gladly send 
such orders if 10c extra is enclosed but they do not add to customer eligibility 
for catalogs. 
GENERAL CULTURAL DIRECTIONS 
Rich sandy loam is the best soil. Only a few, like Bearded Iris, prefer 
heavy soil. A very few, like Gloriosas, must have sandy soil. 
All soils require the addition of much humus. Compost all garbage, weeds, 
leaves, cut branches and manures. When rotted, add to soil and thoroly mix. 
Fertilizers. We recommend only animal manures, compost and commer- 
cial fertilizers that are of organic origin. Fresh manure can be used on a few 
plants, that are growing vigorously, as a very light mulch, but after flowering. 
Too much fertilizer before flowering time may almost or wholly stop the 
flowers. When the growth of a plant becomes abnormally rapid it is unlikely 
to flower or produce fruit. Your over-fertilized peach tree is likely to pro- 
duce no fruit. 
Do not fertilize a plant in dry soil, or uSe any fertilizer (unless thoroly 
rotted in a compost heap) in the soil before planting bulbs, seeds or plants. 
Water lawns, trees, and plants well the day before applying fertilizer and 
again a few days after application. Do not fertilize a sick plant in order to 
make it well. You are more likely to make it worse or even kill it. Small 
plants and seedlings should not have too much either. Lush, rapid growth 
may be weak and “flabby.” Sturdy growth with firm structure is better. 
Chemical fertilizers are like “patent” medicines. They are stimulating but 
often the final result is bad. The physical structure of soils is the most impor- 
tant thing. A well drained, friable soil is the best. Sand and humus can be 
added in sufficient quantities at least in flower beds and the humus can be 
added in fields by growing cover crops. For humus, add rotted manure, com- 
posted weeds, grasses and leaves, leaf mould or peat. It is seldom necessary 
to add any but organic materials to soils. 
Compare plants with people. Both are living, organic beings. Air, water 
and food are necessary to their growth and health. But one does not give 
babies beefsteak, fried potatoes, apple pie and a cup of coffee. Nor is this a 
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