LET'S GET ACQUAINTED 
January, 1954 
Dear friends, 
Most of you have been getting our catalogs and price lists 
for a good many years and some of you just in recent years. 
Each Winter and Summer as we fret and fume over inven- 
tory lists, price sheets and reference books in making up 
the bi-annual catalog we wonder just how many get thrown 
away upon receipt, how many find a corner or pile to get 
into or crawl under, how many get a glance and then a good 
filing and how many really get a thorough scrutiny. Of 
course we get a good share of orders or we wouldn’t be 
knocking ourselves out twice a year in sending them to you. 
It is quite evident though that a large percentage never 
result in an order. One of the many reasons for this could 
be that you are not familiar with us, have never met us or 
heard anyone speak of our stock or service. We'd like to 
break the ice and have you place that initial order for we 
are down right certain that you’d come back for more and 
more year after year. We know because our other customers 
do. Now we don’t clutter up our catalog with testimonials 
although we have plenty in our files. Folks have written 
how pleased they were with the stock, the packing or prompt 
and satisfactory handling of a claim. We’d like to have you 
write us a little order -- perhaps just to satisfy your cur- 
iosity. (Little orders are just as welcome here as big ones 
in fact we get more of the former.) This is what will happen. 
First the order is registered and given a number. It is 
then checked against the stock record to see whether we 
can supply the items ordered.If not, substitution suggestions 
are noted on the order. It is then typed and one copy mailed 
to you as an acknowledgement or invoice as may apply. If 
we are sold out of or short of any items, we send along a 
note or letter stating such and suggesting a substitute if 
possible. If there are none, a refund check is mailed with 
the acknowledgement or if we are completely sold out of 
all stock ordered we send back your remittance. A second 
copy is filed in the office for permanent record. The third 
copy is filed as a shipping copy along with sufficient num- 
bers of packing lists. When it is time to ship the copy is 
sent to the nursery or greenhouse for shipment. You are then 
immediately notified of the shipment and the contents. In 
all cases a complete record of all shipments is kept for our 
mutual benefits. 
In preparing your order ail stock is hand picked shortly 
before the shipping date. It is well watered in preparation 
for the packing. Potted stock is individually wrapped in 
waxed paper. Bare root stock is carefully bundled or ar- 
ranged in the box so that the roots are always covered with 
a mixture of damp sphagnum and peat moss or chopped hay. 
All but the smallest shipments go forward well cleated in 
strong wooden boxes. They’re just bound to arrive in good 
condition. 
We’re sure you will be glad to have tried our stock for 
our reputation is good the country over and no one yet has 
built a good reputation on poor stock and/or poor service. 
Yours sincerely, 
John Vermeulen 
Peter Vermeulen 
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