EASY TO ORDER 
Just list what you want on the en- 
closed order sheet or on any sheet 
of paper. Please write your name 
and’ address plainly, giving rural 
route or street address. Also, if 
your express station is different 
than your postoffice, list the ex- 
press station, too. 
Easy to Send Money 
Your personal check is good with 
us, or you can send a Money Or- 
der or Bank Draft. If you send cur- 
rency or coin, wrap it carefully and 
you should then register your let- 
ter. Every year thousands of our 
customers send us signed checks 
with the amount left blank to be 
filled in with the correct amount to 
cover the order. This works out 
fine for everyone because the 
checks are always filled out for the 
exact amount of the order and at 
the lowest prices in effect the day 
the order is received. 
MOST THINGS 
POSTPAID 
You will see that most everything 
in this catalog is delivered to you 
Postpaid. This represents a saving 
for you. Some things too large to 
go by parcel post are quoted “Not 
Prepaid.” We ship these by Ex- 
press (low second class Express 
rate .. . generally as cheap as 
freight). If your order contains 
some of the larger items which 
must go by Express and some 
which we would normally prepay, 
we send the entire shipment by 
Express so you will receive every- 
thing together. Because of a mini- 
mum rate plan, these additional 
items do not usually increase your 
Express bill, but go without addi- 
tional charge. 
However, for this privilege we will 
include some additional nursery 
stock, of greater value than the 
postage we would normally prepay. 
Prices Quoted Subject To Stocks On Hand 
_=INDEX— 
Apples re si colt serene as 68, 69 
Apricots nities otis shee ae 
TO ye Ca eign es occas Ue ce 64 
Asters iso cia. ciaieiateredols tele ais! = 12 
Azaleas: Pit aciecycint creltsieresns 53 
Baby’s Breath ............. 17 
Baby. Chicks: (0.1.0.5. - 46, 47 
Begonias vac ccteen sss Saree 11 
Berries) scare: 59, 60, 62, 63 
Blackberries (20550 16.c0:6% «sco 0 62 
Bleeding Hearts ........... 12 
Blueberries 
Boysenberries 
Boys & Girls 
Bug Dust 
Caladium 
Cannas (Eine a toe 
Carnations 
Cherries foi hires aan 
Chicks#iiici- atin evar iene: 
Chrysanthemums .......... 9 
Clematis 5 resis 9 
Climbing Roses ........... 6,7 
Columbine) i4a5 say se 13 
Corn;, Hybrid) 2.52 < Secs: Se 48 
Corn, ‘Sweet: 020.2055, tie cesses ats 36 
Crab Apples .............. 68 
Currants) Sacer tere sare cine 59 
Dahlias ... 10,11 
Daisies ©... st 
Delphinium .. aaa ly 4 
Dewberries ..... Oe 
Elm, American ......... S157 
Elm, Chinese .......... $1,57 
Evergreett: oicc0seeee ees 57 
Farm Seeds. 3. eee 71 
I too maracas 6. aay ae 17 
Floribunda Roses ......... 4,7 
Flowering Almond ......... 52 
Flower Seeds ........... 22-26 
Flowering Shrubs ....... 52-55 
Flowering Trees ........... 50 
Garden Seeds .............. 27-44 
Gladiolus) s(250 sess eeclose 8 
Gooseberries .............-. 59 
Grapes oi Se ee intone 66, 67 
Grass Seed 53 Sosa ees 
ledges Tiina renner terns 56 
Honeysuckle ........... 54, 56 
House: Plants 0055.63. s.sntraven*. 20 
Hybrid: Comm) a0 ese cs 48 
Hybrid Tea Roses ...... 2533/5 
Hydrangeas ............ o2,.03 
Landscape). sce ose cis iets 59 
Lawn Grasses ............. 58 
Ealacs. © (6.c sisisintenare wee stems 2 
Lilies 5 gic i's sao mcinoare 10,11 
Magnolias... ..5i0sie condensin 50 
Mole: Killer... ciscysse core m toe 21 
Mums) 2975, .:5% 23 ease ee 9 
DAuahrooms’ 5. o6.secrete caters 59 
Wectarines eo. i io:s.cus sisie sieeve 66 
DS ERS Ccic Cae Bae eo 65 
Peaches 
Pears 
Peonies 
Perennials 
Phiox 
Plums 
Poplars . Are 
Potting Soil 2. 3......5.3.. ee y | 
Quintuplet Apple .......... 69 
Raspberrieategsiessis sis +.0:<i0.0 62, 63 
Rat. Killers... .ieihicc eure ens 21 
Red Bud 50 
Rhubarb. =. op eee 
ORB pds etocioies oeaeions 
Rose: Ditst 50 6 a-cite aere 
Shade Trees .... 
Shrubs . 
Spireas weer 
Strawberries 
Tamarix icons ae eiiemiee 
Tree Roses 
Tuberoses) his 5-169 cqscs terest 
Af Beery Pea ene CIES ric co OA 
Violets) 5 ciacrtierers ever tiers rete 
SEEDS 
FLOWER SEEDS ......... 22-26 
Asters "26nd Sciam po 24,25 
Gogmoe sors haensi-vscs erepererere 24 
Larkeput).(.s0--c3icieeenerone 24 
Marigold criss c.s coins 25 
Morning Glories ......... 26 
Nasturtiums . 2. -..j..--. 24 
Pansies \ eis.clss tcarctere dee 22 
Petunias 5955... nee 22,43 
Salvia: (acsearle 22 
Snapdragons ............ 25 
Sweet Peas oi bscisaisesipee 25 
Wer beta 07a <-20sarctsreooieteiniote 22 
Zinnia err sts pere ato eter 22 
VEGETABLE SEEDS ....27-44, 72 
ASPAFALUS 5 616 sir. cletristete 44 
Beans .....28, 29, 30, 31, 72 
Beets ivan. cottons 28, 32,72 
Cabbage!) fe sence 28,33 
Carrota vi. .s ee 1. .34, 72 
Cauliflower. ... 50.5.0 5--: 33 
Celery be 52. ee rte 32 
Corn, Sweet) - 22.1: 29,36, 72 
Cucumbers ....... 28, 29,35 
Egg. Plant: «3.25255. eoeee 734 
Endive 
PROT Eo ia isysanzcteiniaspereayetoce 
Kohlrabi 
Lettuce 
Muskmelon 
Onions = (esters erent 
Parsley 
Parsnips 
Peanuts 
PCRS Fier ererctecrere 
Peppers 
Pop Corn 
Pumpkin 
Radishes 
Rutabaga 
Salsify oa..coe weiss erase 
Spinach 
Sweet Corn 
Squash 
Sweet Potatoes .......... 32 
Swiss Chard@eeac ease 32 
Tomatoes) a. cesi.'s) 29, 42, B 
Turnips 0. oo 2.5. ais aches 
Vegetable Collection ...... 44 
Watermelons ......... 29,39 
NOTICE: If « Federal Sales Tax is passed between catalog printing 
time ard the time you order, add it to your remittance, please. 
Page 2 Copyright Earl E. May Seed Co. 1953 
As usual, | have reserved this space for a letter to you. Since I cannot see 
every one of my friends in person, or cannot write each one a letter individu- 
ally, I like to think this letter fills that job. | hope you, too, can inet that 
this is ‘‘your’’ letter. 
First, | must thank you, on behalf of myself and our whole seedhouse 
“‘family’’, for your business during the past year. We do appreciate every order 
you send us, and we pledge ourselves to continue to deserve your confidence 
by always offering you the finest possible merchandise at fairest possible prices. 
Again, let me remind you to order early. This is your ‘‘insurance” that 
you'll get exactly what you want, when you want if. We try to come out even 
on everything, but every year we run out of some items, despite our bes? efforts. 
We don’t want to disappoint anyone, but those who order late in the season 
must run the risk of asking for something we've run out of. Then, too, we offer 
special premiums for early orders. Nursery premiums are listed 
on page 19 ... Garden Seed on page 27. Sorry, we can't offer 
these premiums on Farm Seed or Hybrid Corn; expect them on 
Nursery and Garden Seed orders only, please. 
You’ll notice, throughout the nursery pages, little lines that 
' read, ‘‘Plant Spring or Fall.'’ Our Fall Catalog just isn’t big enough 
¥ to list everything you can plant in the Autumn, so please save 
this catalog and order those items we've marked for Fall 
planting. 
Again, thanks for your nice orders. Let us hear from you 
often, and have a most happy and prosperous 1953. 
Si Meg. 
GOVERNMENT INSPECTED NURSERY STOCKS. Certificate No. 97, State of Iowa. 
The Earl May Seed Co. of Shenandoah is authorized to sell and ship Nursery Stock 
of its own growing or obtained from approved sources. The Certificate expires Sep- 
tember 1, 1953. Signed by Clyde Spry, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture, and H. M. 
Harris, Iowa State Entomologist. 
RADIO STATION FREE FREE 
KMA Garden Booklet Nursery Booklet 
For a lot of helpful information on You will find complete instructions Right along with your order for 
the planting and care of Flowers, on how to prepare, plant, and culti- Nursery Stock, we will send you 
Fruits and Vegetables, tune in KMA, ; = z ss 
960 in the center of your dial. Every vate youswenctahie casteng es complete and practical planting in- 
weekday we broadcast programs to ps Be Lasareee, ee help. structions for Roots, Bulbs and Tub- 
help you have more beautiful yards awn) and | Flower | Seed) cultures acc Sipe errs 24-page Booklet will bring 
and more profitable gardens. Write also given. Sent free with your order Wh s Oe 
us about your yard and garden prob- for Vegetable Seed, Flower Seed, or You information and the planting 
lems. We'll be glad to help you all Lawn Grass Seed. (Extra copies are care of Fruit Trees, Shrubs, Roses, 
we can. 10c each.) Berry Plants, etc. 
