John W. Nicolson, 
61, internationally 
famous seedsman 
and agronomist, and 
Vice President of the 
Henry Field Seed & 
Nursery Co., died at 
his home in Shenan- 
doah, Iowa, on May 
22 of a heart attack. 
“Alfalfa John,’’ as 
he was known to the 
readers of Seed 
Sense, suffered his 
first heart attack two years ago, but for 
the past several months had been well 
enough to spend several hours a day at 
his desk at the Seedhouse. Then death 
came suddenly while he was watching 
television in his living room. 
Mr. Nicolson was born on a 200-acre 
farm near Marlette, Mich., and graduated 
from Michigan State College in 1915. 
After graduating, he served for several 
years as extension agronomist professor 
for the college, and later as Secretary of 
the Michigan Crop Improvement Associ- 
ation. In 1919, he, with several other 
agronomists, founded the International 
Crop Improvement Assoc. In 1920, he 
organized the Michigan Farm Bureau as 
a cooperative. 
Working as a seedsman, he was promi- 
nently connected with J. G. Peppard Seed 
Co. of Kansas City and later with the May 
Seed Co., before becoming an officer and 
stockholder of Henry FieldgSeed & Nurs- 
ery Company in 1935. . 
Mr. Nicolson was a mem ber of the In- 
ternational Relations Committee and Na- 
tional Garden Program committee of the 
American Seed Trade Association and 
was past president of the Western Seeds- 
men’s Association. During World War 
II, he was a member of the OPA advisory 
committee on field seeds, the OPA Com- 
mittee on vegetable seeds, and the War 
Food Administration advisory committee 
on field seeds. He was the only man to be 
a member of all three groups. In addi- 
tion, he was, for three years, chairman of 
a task force on legume seed shortage for 
the War Food Administration. 
The Shenandoah Evening Sentinel,-in 
writing of John Nicolson, said, ‘John was 
a mixture of many things, most of them 
idealistic. He was truly a farmer at heart. 
During the last few weeks he enjoyed 
taking short drives with his friend Barr 
Keshlear to see the livestock. I believe 
he bought some calves just to have them 
around for the pleasure of watching them. 
. . . He lived a full life; he accomplished 
great good; his work will live and the 
world is far better for his having passed 
through. What more can one say of a 
man?” 
Calla Lilies for Potting 
We have some dandy Calla Lily bulbs 
that are ideal for potting. They’re big, 
healthy bulbs that will make tall, stately 
blooms and fine, beautiful foliage. Calla 
Lilies are easy to grow and require only 
Our Nursery Guarantee 
All our stock is guaranteed. If you are 
not pleased with it in every way when 
you receive it, return it promptly, at our 
expense, and it will be replaced or your 
money refunded, whichever you prefer. 
After you have planted it, if it fails to 
grow, we think we should both take part 
of the blame. We will take one-half and 
you and the weather take the other, and 
we'll replace at half-price anything unsat- 
isfactory through any fault of the stock 
if you notify us not later than May 1, 
1954. Accompany your report with a re- 
mittance of one-half the original pur- 
chase price. 
If you wonder how we can make such 
a guarantee, here are some of the rea- 
sons: 
1. Our nursery stock is all state in- 
spected. 
2. Our nursery stock 
disease. 
3. Our nursery stock is of the high- 
est quality. 
4. Our nursery stock is true to name. 
5. Our nursery stock is mature, live, 
ready-to-grow stock, first-class in every 
way. 
is free from 
Giant Hybrid Amaryllis 
One of the most striking flowers you 
can grow indoors is the Giant Hybrid 
Amaryllis. In fact, it’s one of the most 
beautiful and spectacular bulb plants 
there is. Our hybrids have big, wide- 
petalled flowers, averaging 4:to 6 inches 
_across, and often have 10 or more blooms 
on a stem. Coloring is gorgeous... Ranges 
from almost white to a real dark red 
with very delicate shadings. 
Planting and care are simple. Just put 
a bulb in-a pot with ordinary soil, keep- 
ing the neck and about one-third of the 
bulb protruding. Put in a cool, shaded 
place. Water sparingly until several inches 
high. Then bring out of the shade, give 
plenty of water and Keep at a tempera- 
ture of around 70 degrees. More direc- 
tions come with each bulb. 
Order No. BG401. Mixed colors only. 
59c each; 2 for 1.10, postpaid. 
deine (|e 
F. 
‘ed 
Golden Wedding 
“Dear Mrs. 
had taken on our 50th Wedding Anni- 
Field: Here is a picture we 
versary, which was Nov. 23, 1952.-We 
had a lovely anniversary. Our six ¢hil- 
dren were all home that day, the first 
time in thirteen years. We enjoy Seed 
Sense so much.’’—Mrs. M. B. Ehrenfelt, 
Kalona, Iowa. 
No C.0O.D.’s, Please 
Unfortunately, we just can’t ship 
C.0.D. There are so many delays in 
shipping this way that it isn’t practical. 
Nursery stock should be planted just as 
soon as possible after leaving here, and 
if it has to wait around to be delivered 
it may not do too well. So, this is for 
your own protection. Then too, C.O.D.’s 
always cause a lot of red tape, which in 
turn causes higher prices. We know you 
folks want to buy things at as low a price 
as possible, so by not having C.O.D.’s, 
we can keep our prices down. : 
Plant Bulbs in the Fall for Spring Beauty 
Take care in planting fall bulbs to see that they have every chance of success and 
play their full part in beautifying the garden. The above Bulb Planting Depth Chart 
will show you the depth and distance apart to plant bulbs. If the ground has been | 
newly spaded, and is quite loose, the depth should be increased an inch or so to allow 
_for settling, and because of the increased effect of frost heaving on newly turned soil. 
Also, late planted bulbs, which have no opportunity to make roots before the soil 
freezes, may be set a little deeper to protect them from frost action. 
ordinary care. Really are hard to beat for 
a potted plant. Full directions come with 
each order. Available in three colors. 
ie White—BG411, Yellow—BG412: 40c 
“each; 2 for 69e. Pink—BG417 (a new, 
b different, rare type): 50c each; 2 for 89c. 
——-—-—s- Collection of one each of all three col- 
mated uate ee 1.09. All prices post- 
nee as 
Ts 
