Preface 
TO MY MANY FLOWER-MINDED FRIENDS AND 
CUSTOMERS.—Well, it is time to prepare another catalogue 
1954 this time. My! How time does “fly”. It seems only a 
short time back when I was preparing the 1953 catalogue. 
Again I must report that despite another extremely dry sum- 
mer the mums came through with flying colors—had a yard- 
ful of blooms from early fall on until just before Christmas 
(when we had our first severe cold spell). Also, I must admit 
that I had practically no trouble with the Thrip this year— 
probably due to the thorough dustings I gave the garden. I 
used a mixture of DDT, Chlordane and Fermate, and 
“fogged” the garden three times; once just as the plants 
started to set buds, again when the buds were well set, and 
finally just as the buds started to show color. It certainly 
worked and I intend to use the same “medicine” again this 
year and hope it will work as well. If you have had trouble 
with the Thrip (and many people have and don’t know it), 
you might try a similar program, as these materials are all 
easily obtainable. 
BLOOMING DATES 
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 approximations 
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. However, just in case I have 
“leaned over backwards” a little too much in some cases I 
would appreciate it if you would write me at blooming time, 
stating how the different varieties behaved for you and the 
date each variety was in full bloom—not just showing color. 
By doing this, and enabling me to correct any errors in 
blooming dates, you may enable some one to buy a variety 
they thought would not bloom for them, or—on the other 
hand, keep some one from wasting money on a variety that 
blooms too late for their locality. 
DELIVERY DATES AND TYPE OF PLANTS 
Delivery will be made this spring—from the last of March 
on, and will consist of small “plants’—not the ordinary 
“rooted cutting” that requires potting up and growing on 
some time before they can be set in their permanent location. 
The plants I will ship you may be either a root division taken 
off and grown in a cold frame until it has reach the “plant’’ 
stage, or a rooted cutting that has been grown in a cold 
frame until it also has reached the “plant” stage. In either 
case the plants may be set in their permanent location 
promptly on arrival. They will be shipped bare root, wrapped 
in damp moss and then carefully packed in excelsior. When 
the weather warms up holes wil be cut in the package to 
provide good ventilation. In the far western tier of states 
shipment by air is strongly recommended, and if you desire 
this please be sure to include sufficient postage to cover air 
shipment, Air shipment is not nearly as expensive as would 
appear at first glance, as plants so shipped are shipped in 
cellophane bags without any packing material whatever. 
Since they stay cool while en route they can be shipped 
across the United States and arrive at destination just as 
fresh as when they started their journey—yet not a particle 
of packing material is around the roots. In fact, year before 
