A Little Aout 
Our Gusiuedsds 
Starting long before the advent of air 
freight and still supplying our customers who 
first ordered in the 1930's, we are the oldest 
of the geranium field growers. As a horticul- 
tural family entering its third generation, we 
are proud of the part we have played in for- 
warding the California Field-Grown Geranium 
Business; and we will continue to do our 
Mess Fred A. Bode, Sr. admires one of our part in the study of cultural improvements, 
plantings of fancy-leaved Mme. Languth which especially in the direction of cuttings that 
is always in full bloom. : 
ship well and grow well. 
Mrs. Fred A. Bode, Sr. (Elizabeth Bode) supervises the packing of all shipments and the 
preparation of rooted cuttings. Great care is used in stripping, sorting and preparing cuttings 
for shipment. 
Regular periodic tests are made of all our field soils, and green tissue tests are made of 
the plants to keep close control over the nutrient contents of the cuttings. Both unrooted 
and rooted cuttings are treated with systemic coison which ‘‘proofs’’ the cuttings against red 
spider, two-spotted mites, Pacific mites and apnids from two to six weeks, and insures the 
grower against receiving infestations of resistant mites. Our cuttings are rooted with Cutstart 
oowder and so are never burned or stunted by an over-abundance of auxins. Nutrient level of 
rooting cuttings is maintained with foliate feeds applied by Hy-fog (1000 Ib. pressure) sprayers. 
The capacity of our rooting beds is now 700,000 cuttings. We have 16 acres of Spring- 
planted stock and many acres of one-year plants, comprised of over 600 varieties either in full 
commercial production, stock building blocks, or trial studies. These make up the most com- 
plete selection available to the greenhouse growers. Varieties are planted in their respective 
sales ratios, and plantings vary from a few plants of some of the species to over 16,000 stock 
plants of Fiat Enchantress. 
A PINTO TAG NURSERY. Issued to clean nurseries after meeting special requirements 
and close periodic inspections, the Pinto Tag atlows stock to be shipped throughout most of 
California without inspection. So far as we know, we are the only ‘geranium field nursery’ 
holding the Pinto Tag. 
Our organization, with over 20 people working to supply your needs, is large as gera- 
nium field arowers go, yet small enough to know the likes and dislikes of our steady customers. 
VISITORS ARE WELCOME. We are closed only on Sunday. We found the Palos Verdes 
area too close to the ocean to produce the top-quality cuttings our customers are used to, and 
this year were able to acquire the farm immediately adjoining our home fields. Stock plants are 
planted 15 inches apart in the rows, and the rows are 3 feet apart. Were the rows to run end 
on end, they would extend for well over 60 miles. 
TO VISIT US, travel south on Avalon boulevard from Los Angeles, four-tenths mile beyond 
Victoria boulevard to 195th street, which is a dirt lane leading up into the farming areas. We 
are the only grower and shipper on the right-hand side of 195th, about one-half mile east of 
Avalon boulevard. 
HY-GRADE PROPAGATING STOCK. Even before the high cost 
of labor, heating, and other overhead made Southern California 
geranium cuttings the answer for eliminating expensive stock beds, 
we were shipping large quantities of cuttings because growers liked 
the strong, heavy-calipered cuttings which gave them a fast early- 
flowering plant. 
Mrs. Freda A. Bode, Jr. (Alice L.), does much of the research for 
our business, lectures on horticulture, and has recently done a num- 
ber of radio and TV programs on aeraniums. Later this year a report 
on the interest of these programs to the public, of the various 
media, and of the best methods of publicity will be sent to our cus- 
tomers. It can be said now that the programs have been very 
successful, both for the retailers and geraniums as a whole. In 
addition, as editor of ‘‘Geraniums Around the World,’ the official 
publication of the International Geranium Society, she welcomes alt 
Mrs. Fred A. Bode, Jr. geranium news or pictures for publication. 
tak Ys 
