EASY TO ORDER EVERYTHING POSTPAID 
Juss list what yeu want on cea THROUGHOUT THE 
Sebreee vices ersteiyeds nase MIDWEST 
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. 
You will see that everything in this 
catalog is delivered to you post- 
paid if you live in a radius of 600 
miles of Shenandoah (see Page 
65). This represents a real saving 
to you. Since postal rates have 
gone up considerably this past 
year, we must ask, however, that 
customers outside this 600-mile 
circle add 10% to the price of 
their nursery orders only to help 
pay this increased postage. As usu- 
al, seeds, vegetable and house 
plants, bulbs and other items in 
this catalog, unless. specifically 
marked, come postpaid, 10% post- 
al charge applies only to nursery 
items (hedges, fruit and shade 
trees, shrubs, ornamentals, etc.) 
and then only if you live outside 
the area marked on the maps on 
pages 65 and 67. 
Prices Quoted Subject To Stocks On Hand 
_==INDEX— 
Dear fruands: 
This special message is written to thousands of you all over the United 
States who have honored us in the past with your fine orders. You are the ones 
who have placed your confidence in the May Seed Company. We cherish this 
trust and will continue to do our level best to hold your confidence. 
eee 
[erro ere coerce eee armen 
Page 2 
Apples ........--.++-+- 68, 69 Rat) Killeroo4 ices os sarees He 
PTICOUG 5 See a ede oe 5 ; 7 - 
Apricot 61 Red Bud ae In 1954, as in past years, we offer top quality merchandise at reason 
Asparagus Spader rere snes ae Rhubarb ..... I i his i h di aes 5 f 
Asters (che eee te Roses tte ce oe 1, 3-7 able prices. This is merchandise we specialize in. Over the past thirty-four 
R Pas E cio ceie siete. = ators 
pralees ioe as aes a3 Saker : ears hundreds of thousands have written and told us the merchandise the 
Baby's Breath oo 5.00 © =: 3 V7 Shade “Trees: 2.5: -- 50,51, 57 2 
Baby Chicks ....... 1146, 47 pects eae received from the May Seed Company has been the finest they have ever seen 
eens 59 Serawberrics ae EGO .. . has brought them results even beyond their expectations. 
Berries : y' 
Blackberries 5x Aorcts lnce Pio tate ta ermexwtegs 49 ° 
Bleeding Hearts rade he eee a ee 4 As this catalog goes to press we think we have ample stocks of seeds, 
Bopscahettics eee ee Se ae ae plants and nursery items for the spring season. As is always the case a few 
Bee Dut ee eee Vicicte :. | nnige ae ene items are scarce due to conditions beyond our control. Also, experience has 
Caladium). Sion eos eete 12 SEEDS taught us that additional shortages will probably develop as the season ad- 
Cannes ite eee te FLOWER SEEDS .......-- 22-26 vances. Try as hard as we do we never seem to be able to come 
Pret tains PLD AR a Wes Peat) Canad an oBoon)( gS out even on all items. For this reason, we urge you to order early 
BCKS) yore etete in oles A = . 
Cheyeantiiconians, (oe a : ne 5 eee ics a while our stocks are still complete. In addition, by ordering 
1 La. ei pLeO ry cot ac Te) Ol) DERE ears TT OLS F . 
Climbing Roses |< 22222217. 6,7 Siete +r eee He early, the merchandise will be delivered to you at an early date 
Conn Hebad: See ee as Morning Glories 22.0... 26 in order that it may be planted and give you the advantage of 
CN Ans ee 38 si wed ares kes SIE 4 the spring rains which are so beneficial to anything that grows. 
Bes ea aes Pansies Goss cia wierreiee ok cee : 
as we. a ee ee Petunias ...-...-.--. ana Last but not least, we also reward you for ordering early. 
1as i . 
Daisies... respi Beadle Meat ar We list the nursery premiums on page 19 and the garden seed 
Deca ateauis Sweet Peas ........-... a5 4 premiums on page 27. 1 am sorry we can’t offer premiums on 
Elm, American ......... 51, 57 NACE See coe NP a2 ¥ farm seeds or hybrid corn, but you can expect them on nursery 
Him; (Chinese #, 0 occas 51,57 Zinnia (rx) MCS SiS 22 ~- d d re 
SEV ETE ECS Ere 2 VEGETABLE SEEDS ....27-44,72 ie and garden seed orders. 
Poa er ee ee ia Sem ERS Again, | wish to thank you for your fine orders in the past, 
Floribunda Roses ......... 4,7 eans ....- » 29, , , ba 
Miowning?Alcond aes 52 Beets nuts: nica 28, 32, 72 and it will be a pleasure to serve you in 1954. On behalf of all 
Flower Seeds ........... 22-26 Cabbage meee eee: 28, 33 A of us at the May Seed Company, | hope you have a most happy 
Flowering Shrubs ....... 52-55 Carrots. (a sone eto 34; 72 i} 
Flowering Trees .........-.50 Cauliflower (fhe eee aS pes: and prosperous 1954, 
¢ Celery 025. seees me REL eB 
Garden Seeds Sie 27-44 Corn, Sweet ..... 29, 36, 72 un Sincerely, 
Gooseberries Cucumbers ....... 28, 29,35 
Grapes. ...... Egg: Plant vec spackateno+ cays 
Grass Seed Endive ae tudienetter ace 35 > 
pedars eae eee Flerbe 2 tec. aaiarctorss supers 44 
one vanekle Ge cicfepshelio sla: 54, 56 : be at 
Hen se Bon Gates ine 20 Kohlrabi tense BF aad 
ybri ONT areola ie earata calla Shs 48 | rsh OH ranaGn (ieee eG Se 38 f i 
Hybrid) Tea; Roses)( 77-7. - or Lettuce .....-..-.--- 29,39 YOU’LL FIND FRIENDLY EARL MAY STORES IN THESE CITIES: 
Hydrangeas Muskmelon 37 sj 
Landscape Cee ee genni n HEE  O OO on IN IOWA: Denison Shenandoah IN NEBRASKA: 
oa Grasses aie! ee ae Atlantic Des Moines Sioux City Aubum 
Lilies. A. eee hag Parsnips pec Boone re Dodge Sanh waar Beatrice 
Peinsoe het cm cee Pranite Riad arlan asni i 
Magnolias ........ Bene 40, 72 Carroll ; ee Watelcs Falls City 
Mole Killer .... Peppers . 28, 43 Cedar Rapids ‘ Webster City Fremont 
Mums ae Pop Corn . rs 7, Centerville Mason City Lincoln 
Mushrooms ....... Pumpkin Be erin Gos 44 Cherokee Muscatine IN MISSOURI: Nebraska City 
Nuts Nite cee eeeee eee Benne settee 28, 41, Me Council Bluffs Newton Chillicothe Norfolk 
Peaches te oodccacc eee 61 Salaify Soe ee ee 34 Creston Oskaloosa Maryville Omaha 
Pears ........-...2.--- 66, 67 Spinach es) Bees 43 Davenport Red Oak St. Joseph South Omaha 
Peéonies’. S50 ameter. ae 18 SweetiCornm pene 29, 36, 72 
Perennials ....... 12;.13;17018 Squash. ee seta 
OK) | isis eleaed Sed alley gree 147-05 Sh cs Dagataantee ue nee | 
Prone oi een ao Sweet Potatoes 21000021) 32 RADIO STATION FREE FREE 
ya Lt Bao oDin Come eeiicc & Ny) . ieee SA acy 
Potting Sollee. noah ai 21 pompaines ete Praera KMA Garden Booklet Nursery Booklet 
Grintuplt APOC oS aa s Vegetable Collection ...... 44 For a lot of helpful information on You will find complete instructions Right along with your order for 
Raspberries5 ois .cisc ss cere 62, 63 Watermelons ......... 29,39 the planting and care of Flowers, on how to prepare, plant, and culti- Nursery Stock, we will send you 
NOTICE: If a@ Federal Sales Tax is passed between catalog printing 
time and the time you order, add it to your remittance, please. 
Copyright Earl E. May Seed Co. 1954 
Fruits and Vegetables, tune in KMA, 
960 in the center of your dial. Every 
weekday we broadcast programs to 
help you have more beautiful yards 
and more profitable gardens. Write 
us about your yard and garden prob- 
lems. We'll be glad to help you all 
we can. 
vate your vegetable garden in our 32- 
page booklet. Sound, practical help. 
Lawn and Flower Seed culture are 
also given. Sent free with your order 
for Vegetable Seed, Flower Seed, or 
Lawn Grass Seed. (Extra copies are 
10c each.) 
complete and practical planting in- 
structions for Roots, Bulbs and Tub- 
ers. And a 24-page Booklet will bring 
you information and the planting 
care of Fruit Trees, Shrubs, Roses, 
Berry Plants, etc. 
