recently ordered. You can readily see these had already cost us over $3,000. 
We will appreciate it if you will notify us if you do not wish to buy bulbs. 
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. 
Applicants 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 questionnaire that I can answer yes or no. Enclose a Self- 
addressed post card or envelope. 
Many customers inquire if we have certain listed bulbs before sending 
even a very small order. Don’t inquire please. Go ahead and order. I assure 
you that if we are sold out we will not send them but will inform you at once. 
It is inevitable that if we must write a letter, your order will be delayed. 
It is better to write letters separately and not tied in with an order. 
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 plantin 
dates. Delivery dates in catalog are sometimes only approximate. 
If you like our catalogs, their friendly tone and 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. Some- 
times 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 15c 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 commercial 
fertilizers that are of organic origin such as Spoonit and others listed in this 
catalog for use on potted bulbs. In the outside garden fresh manure can be 
used on most 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 produce 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 
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