What You Should Know about Srter-Stite Nurseries 

First of All, the Soil— Ever look at Hamburg on the 
map? You will notice it is near the center of the 
United States. Did you settle there by accident? Or on 
pur pose? 
The answer is: on purpose. We looked around for a 
long time, checked many locations, and finally picked 
Hamburg for one big, overwhelmingly important rea- 
son—THE SOIL. 
If you ever come out to Hamburg, pick up a handful 
of this dirt, and you will see what we mean. It is the 
kind of soil the geologists call loess (16-és)—a word 
L. R. (Les) SJULIN 
L. R. SJULIN (“LES”) is responsible for the 
planning, writing, illustrating and produc- 
tion of the colorful catalogs that enable 
you to plan your planting at your leisure in 
your own home. 
Who Built Inter-State? Friends, if you imagine for one mo- 
ment that we think the whole answer is ‘‘the Sjulins,”’ let us tell 
you that we think this only a small part of the story. Sometimes, 
when we drive over the 1600 acres of the nurseries here, we feel 
proud. Proud of what Inter-State has grown up to be—and im- 
mensely grateful. For we know that Inter-State owes just about 
everything it is to its great army of customers. 
The People of America. The real builders of Inter-State are 
people scattered over the whole face of America. All the way from 
the tip of Maine to Southern California. All the way from Puget 
Sound to the Florida Everglades. People who have loved their 
homes and wanted to make them beautiful. Backyard gardeners. 
Farmers setting out orchards and berry patches—who wanted the 
best, because they knew the real profit is always in the best. 
Growers of roses and flowering plants—some of them wealthy, but 
most of them people who have had to spend carefully for the 
beautiful things in our catalogs. There are the people whose faith 
and support built Inter-State Nurseries—and this we do not allow 
ourselves to forget. 
How It All Started. Inter-State, you may be interested to know, 
began business in 1919 as wholesale growers of nursery stock. We 
grew fields of fine plants and supplied them to retailers. Our 
customers included distributors whose names suggested superb 
quality m every part of the country. But along came 1929 and the 
years of depression that followed. With the retail companies un- 
able to distribute, wholesalers were left with fields of prime stock. 
Some thought there was nothing to do but wait for better times. 
But Inter-State thought differently — 
A Plan Takes Shape. This choice stock of plants and trees we 
had, as fine as any in America—certainly there were, somewhere, 
people who would want these things if they knew about them. 
Surely they would respond to fair prices, and to good treat- 
ment. But how could we reach them? The way, of course, was to 
CARL O, (Billy) SJULIN 

CARL O. SJULIN (‘Billy the Nurseryman’”’) 
prepares our broadcasting programs on 
nearly 50 radio stations as well as direct- 
ing our advertising campaign in the maga- 
zines and newspapers. 
from the same original as “‘loose.’’ And that is exactly 
what it is—rich, soft, loose. Plants grown in it de- 
velop the strong, healthy root systems that make them 
thrive when transplanted to your yard or garden. 
It is a very rare type of soil, occurring in only a few 
places throughout the entire world. 
And the Climate — Here at Inter-State we have a good 
long growing season—time to make the husky plants 
you want to set out. Neither too hot nor too cold— 
but vigorous! Plants, like people, do best in a climate 
that is ‘‘not too much ear-muffs, not too much siesta.”’ 
D. L. O. (Dave) SJULIN 

D. L. O. SJULIN (“DAVE”) manages the 
business offices and directs a large staff of 
trained workers who acknowledge, record 
and ship your orders at the proper plant- 
ing time to every state. 
go to the public direct. So we decided to become retailers, and in 
1931 we issued our first catalog. 
What People Liked. It took courage to take the step, but our 
decision to enter the retail business turned out to be one of the 
wisest things we have ever done. Adversity turned out to bea 
blessing in disguise. People liked the things we shipped them. 
‘‘Those roses you delivered,’ they would write, “have the most 
magnificent roots we have ever seen.’’ Then would come another 
letter telling us how well the plants were blooming—and often 
enclosing the names of neighbors who wanted our catalog. (We 
edi the power of the voice that tells good news across the back 
fence. 
“That Something Extra.’”’ Our early customers found that 
they could count on what we told them. They could tell, of 
course, that we were enthusiastic about our goods. But what 
pleased them most, we think, was the discovery that what we 
delivered was generally at least a little better than they expected. 
Our customers came to look to us for extra quality; for fair prices; 
and for alertness in searching out new varieties—being careful 
that they are good as well as new. They were impressed by our 
practices—like selling only fruit trees budded from proven bearing 
trees. 
They learned that the big question at Inter-State is not, Can it be 
sold?—but, Will this product give the customer the permanent 
satisfaction he has a right to expect? Please continue to count 
on “‘that something extra’’ in value and quality. 
This, then, is a short story about Inter-State Nurseries, a national 
institution which has helped make America More Beautiful, More 
Fruitful. The proudest possessions we have are the thousands of 
voluntary letters telling about the greater enjoyment, better 
health, more beauty and the satisfaction of making homes Potts 
places in which to live. 
