mums above the ground, and hope next year to be 
able to go a little further and add some suggestions on 
what to do to the soil so the plants will not have to 
contend with insects below the ground as well as above 
ground. Of course if you are able to to grow your mums 
on fresh soil each year you probably won’t be bothered 
with root-rot (Fusarium), but to those who are not so 
fortunate (and I am in that class) I say you may just 
as well make up your mind that you will have to control 
sub-soil microscopic insects by some means or other, or 
get few plants to the blooming stage in the fall. 
Last year I got out my catalogue somewhat earlier 
than usual, and encouraged by the response I received, 
this year I am getting it out even earlier. Now such 
early action on my part I think deserves a fair return— 
so IF YOU ARE GOING TO ORDER ANY MUMS 
THIS YEAR, SEND IN YOUR ORDER EARLY, as the 
word “BUSY” is a rank understatement of my activities 
during shipping season. 
Blooming dates are very much desired by most people 
who grow mums outside (as most of my customer-friends 
do), and I have included them. However, they are ap- 
proximations only and I have leaned over backwards in 
trying not to convey the wrong impression as to blooming 
dates. If there is any error it will be that the variety 
blooms earlier (not later) than the date I have given. 
In figuring blooming dates for your locality, remember 
the blooming date advances as one goes north and 
recedes as one goes south. For instance a variety in full 
bloom here will not reach a similar stage in New 
Orleans until a week later. This should enable you to 
adjust the dates to your locality. 
Delivery will be made this spring—from the last of 
March on, and will consist of small ‘“‘plants”—not “rooted 
cuttings” that require potting up and growing on some 
time before they can be set in their permanent location. 
My plants can be set in their permanent location outside 
promptly on arrival. They will be shipped bare root, 
wrapped in damp moss and then carefully packed in 
excelsior. 
I realize that there seems to be a kind of “racket’’ 
in the mum business, and that quite often when you 
order a very definite variety, and give the plants un- 
usually good attenion during the growing season, you 
may be rewarded in the fall by very inferior blooms— 
undoubtedly not the variety you ordered although the 
plant bore the correct name on the label. Unfortunately 
nature seems to have unintentionally aided in this 
“racket,” as with few exceptions it is impossible to tell 
one variety from another in the young plant or cutting 
stage. Fully realizing this I have resolved to make my 
little mum business unique in that you will get what you 
order, or if you permit substitutions to correctly label 
the plant or plants I ship. Most of my business now is 
repeat orders—so that policy must be appreciated by 
discriminating flower-friends. 
To carry out this policy it is necessary that I personally 
gather, label, pack and ship each order myself (which 
necessarily limits it to a small volume), and in return 
I would appreciate a postcard stating the condition of 
the plants on arrival, as well as any suggestions you 
may have towards improving my packing methods. (I 
have received some good suggestions from customers). 
However, being human, an occasional error will occur, 
and in such cases I would prefer to know about it— 
rather than be judged guilty of deliberate mis-labeling. 
Now this careful packing takes TIME, MATERIAL and 
STAMPS for parcel post, as all small orders will go 
