Cpl 
i 
ILLINOIS 
Ball Greenhouses at Glen Ellyn. 
put up by my wholesaler, Mr. Benthey. At least it is an exaggera- 
tion. 
‘George J. Ball, who has the Harms Park Floral Company 
place, is growing two acres of asters which are giving indications 
of a very fine large crop next month. There is no sign of dis- 
ease in the field.’ 
“Sept. 5, 1904. Labor Day, and it has been one of labor for me, 
cutting asters as hard as I could until 6:00 this evening. Where 
they are plentiful can cut 500 per hour but that is the limit. Our 
asters are selling at lc each, and that is considered a good price. 
The perfect whites bring 144c. (See illustration.) 
“Dec. 10, 1904. Gathered some aster seed today of a patch of 
selected white. It is too late to do this to advantage, most of the 
seed being blown away.” 
FIFTY YEARS BACK.... 
In 1905 at the age of 31 George Ball started continuous grow- 
ing operations in a leased establishment in northwest Chicago. 
This included some seed saving and a limited amount of carnation 
plant shipping in addition to spring sale of bedding plants. These 
early years of flower growing were years of struggle of the sort 
familiar to many tradesmen. However, each year’s operation 
seemed to become more successful, and in 1909 an important move 
was made to land which was purchased at Glen Ellyn, [linois. 
In 1908, a year before this move, he married a young Chicago 
school teacher, Anna Kruse. 
In Glen Ellyn, what is now the firm’s principal line of business— 
growing and selling flower seeds—was established with Asters, 
Sweet Peas, and Calendulas. 
It was shortly after the move to Glen Ellyn that he got into 
the seed business by being approached for seed by growers who 
had seen his cut flower strains at the wholesale markets. Limited 
seed sales were made during the years preceding World War I. 
Many seed varieties which appear in this catalog were originated 
from selections out of commercial crops grown during this period. 
His first printed price list or “catalog” was published in 1918. 
One of the first lists which we have on record contains reprints 
of testimonial letters from a number of growers including Fred A. 
Danker, Albany, New York; Christian B. Groff, Lancaster, Pa.; 
Dale Estate, Brampton, Ontario; A. Washburn & Sons, Blooming- 
ton, Ill.; J. W. Davis Co., Terre Haute, Ind.; Joy Floral Co., Nash- 
Seedsmen in California, June 1922. Left to right: Frank G. Cuthbertson, 
Harry Buckman, Dr. Franklin, L. D. Waller, Geo. J. Ball, Harry Bowen. 
It has been said that at the time of construction of th h i 
house could be built and paid for by the first year’s Sweet Pea returns! Se ruc gide at apes tite ga ee a niece ae 
ville, Tenn.; and Wolfe the Florist, Waco, Texas. 
It was in these early years of the seed business that policies of 
the firm were established which still control company operations 
today. As his seed business developed, he established numerous 
contacts throughout the world by personal inspection of flower 
seed production areas in Europe, America, and the Far East. 
He retained control of his own developed “Ball Strains” of 
This is the first meeting of our salesmen of which we have a picture 
record—Summer 1936. Left to right: Franz Neumann, Wisconsin (died 
1953); Oscar Strand, Michigan-Ohio (died 1945); George K. Ball; Earl 
Willison, Midwest; John Masten, South. Geo. J. Ball; Fred Pierce, Mid- 
west; Walter Gatewood, Midwest (died 1949); Jim Tufts (New Eng- 
land); Messrs. Hicks, son and father, of Canada; Vic Ball; F. D. 
Balzhiser; Charles Moles, New York area. The Ball sales force, started 
in 1930, now consists of 18 men in the United States, and Roy Nicholson 
agency for seeds in Canada. 
important cut flower and bedding plant seed varieties by either 
producing the seed himself in the firm’s greenhouses or shipping 
greenhouse-grown “planting stock” to commercial seed growers 
who would return the 
seed crop. 
These policies are 
still followed by our 
firm. Where the re- 
quired quality of 
seed is unobtainable 
from commercial 
sources we grow it in 
our greenhouse (ex- 
amples: Coleus, Be- 
gonia, Hybrid Snap, 
some Stocks). 
This technique of Introducing 
quality control which 
has made Ball seeds 
well known through- 
out the world is also 
“Grower Talks” 
umber one Purpose will 
craps that are season: 
: sonable 
during month of tese. A timed 
means the difference heow, 
| Tobe issued monthly. Tes n 
be to discuss Starting of 
¥ Start frequemdy. es 
= ‘ een prok: eS 
furthered by exten suggestions will be based on ea loss. Ths 
sive trialing of our Hlence; 200-300 miles north o¢ south will a. 
ee ‘ti2 Mean 1G: 
own as well as other Says #0 2 weeks climatic difercace. ‘Trial ground 
66 e 99 rn : Hates will he g timely feature ned site 
strains” of impor- He hated by cur tcavel noc a 
. . : e at reateS ihe S 
tant seed _ varieties, occasional interest ee es 
both under glass and 
outdoors. 
Here’s the first issue of 
Grower Talks, Paid circu- 
lation now about 8,000. 
WEST CHICAGB 
