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Seed Catalogue and Garden Guide.

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Early Minnesota.
Dwarf Aristocrat
Livingstons Beauty Tomato.

Tomato.

One ounce will produce about 2,500 plants.

Sow early in hotbeds or seed boxes and when plants have four leaves transplant to four or five inches apart. Give plenty of air and endeavor to secure a vigorous growth. When all danger of frost is past transplant to the open ground, four to six feet apart each way. Well manured, light sandy soil is best, but it must be remembered that a surplus of manure stimulates leaf growth to the detriment of fruit.

Bond's Early Minnesota.--This handsome new variety which we now offer to our customers is, we verily believe, the earliest in existence. It originated in Minnesota but has been thoroughly tested elsewhere for several years with surprising results. Vines vigorous with rather small leaf. When quite small begin producing fruits which are of fair size, of good shape, smooth, dark red color. They ripen evenly, remain solid a long time and never crack. Thos. H. Brinton, who grows about 100 varieties of tomatoes, has originated several of our best sorts, and who may be called the best posted man on tomatoes in the United States, writes us: "Bond's Early Minnesota is the best early tomato I have ever tried." Per pkt. 5c, oz. 25c, 1/4 lb. 75c, lb. $2.50.

Crimson Cushion.--Very large, about double the size of the Matchless, but rough like all other large sorts. The peculiarity about it is its unusual solidity, more so than any other sort we know of. Seeds are few and near the outside, leaving the center solid pulp, which ripens evenly throughout before the outside appears ripe. It is an elegant sort for slicing or putting up. Flavor excellent. Our seed was saved from select specimens grown on our own place. Pkt. 10c.

Dwarf Champion.--Its habit of growth is peculiar, for not only is it dwarf and compact, but the stem being thick, stiff and short jointed, it is actually self-supporting when laden with fruit. In productiveness it is unsurpassed. It is also very esrly [early]. The fruit is of a purplish pink color, always smooth and symmetrical, and the flesh solid and of fine quality. Can almost be called a tree tomato. The best variety to grow for plants for sale as they are so stocky. Per pkt. 5c, oz. 20c, 1/4 lb. 60c.

Crimson Currant.--See Novelties. Per pkt. 10c, oz. 40c.

Yellow Pear.--See Novelties. Per pkt. 5c, oz. 30, 1/4 lb. 75c.

New Italian Mixed.--See Novelties. Per pkt. 10c, oz. 35c.

Dwarf Aristocrat.--This new dwarf variety resembles very much the Dwarf Champion in every respect except in color of the fruit, which with the Aristocrat is a beautiful rich glossy red, so much admired in some markets and preferred to the flesh or rose-colored sorts. In size, productiveness, smoothness, flavor, etc., it is fully up to our usual standard of perfection. It is especially desirable for geeenhouse or forcing under glass, and for first crop outside. It requires little space, as it has been grown successfully when planted 3x3 feet apart. This feature makes it very desirable for the small family garden where every foot of ground is to be utilized. Its beautiful glossy fruit is very attractive. Per pkt. 5c, oz. 25c, 1/4 lb. 80c.

Matchless.--Well worthy of its name for in beauty of coloring and symmetry of form it is indeed without a peer. The vines are of strong, vigorous growth, well set with fruit. They are entirely free from core, of a very rich cardinal red color, and not liable to crack from wet weather, of largest size, and the size of the fruit is maintained throughout the season, the healthy growth of the foilage [foliage] continuing until killed by frost. Had we to confine ourselves to one variety it would be the Matchless, for certainly no other tomato will produce extra large fruits so smooth, handsome and marketable as the Matchless. The skin is remarkably tough and solid, and ripe specimens picked from the vine will keep in marketable condition for two weeks. Solid, of fine quality and a long keeper. Pkt. 5c, oz. 20c, 1/4 lb. 70c.

Lemon Blush.--It was with little confidence that we gave this variety a place in our trial grounds, but we admit that we were greatly and agreeably surprised, and our farm superintendent pronounces it the nearest approach to a perfect tomato that has been produced up to this time. The skin and flesh are a bright lemon yellow, with a faint rose blush or light crimson tint diffused over part of the surface opposite the stem. The plant is a vigorous grower, ripening its fruit abundantly in mid-season. It may never become a popular market sort, but anyone desiring a choice table variety for home consumption should not fail to have it. Per pkt. 10c, oz. 40c.

Atlantic Prize.--Very popular with some market gardeners on account of its extreme earliness. Some of our Des Moines market gardeners say this is the only variety they have ever grown which produced a good crop from the first set of blooms on plants, thereby netting them high prices. Per pkt. 5c, oz. 25c, 1/4 lb. 75c.

Picture Rock.--Our tests have again proved this to be one of the best varieties on the list. They are of good size, in fact rather large and run so even and perfect in form, after the first few fruits, that they have the appearance of having all been made in one mould. They are smooth, of bright scarlet color, solid and of excellent quality. Per pkt. 5c, oz. 25c, 1/4 lb. 75c.

Livingston's Beauty.--Originated with Mr. A. W. Livingston, of Franklin county, Ohio, and is one of the best ever introduced. Its beauty, size, shape, color, flavor, durability, and productiveness make it desirable to all classes of tomato growers, being of a very glossy crimson with a slight tinge of purple. Per pkt. 5c, oz. 15c, 1/4 lb. 50.

Strawberry.--See Ground Cherry, page 24. Pkt. 5c.

Purple Husk.--See description on page 24. Pkt. 10c.

Other Leading Varieties.

All 5 cents per packet.
[table]
[column headings: oz. 1/4 lb. lb.]
Trophy. $ .15. $ .50. $1.50.
Acme. .15. .50. 1.50.
Perfection. .15. .50. 1.50.
Favorite. .10. .35. 1.20.
Ponderosa. .25. .85. 3.00.
Peach. .25. .75. 2.50.
Turner's Hybrid (Mikado). .15. .50. 1.50.
Ignotum. .15. .50. 1.50.
Golden Queen. .20. .65. 2.00.
Yellow-Plum. .25. .75. 2.25.
Red Cherry. .30. 1.00. 3.25.

Mixed Tomatoes.--For the advantage of some of our customers who would like to try all kinds, we have prepared this mixture of varieties named above and several others. Per pkt. 5c, oz. 30c.

An Invitation.

We want our customers in other towns to consider this a personal invitation to call at our store whenever they are in this city, and if they will make themselves known we will take pleasure in showing them around. The store is conveniently situated near the business center of the city. Our popularity with the home trade is evidenced by the fact that notwithstanding there are three other so-called seed stores in the city, we supply about four-fifths of the local customers, including the farmers and market gardeners.

Think!
On our Spring Opening Day last April about 5,000 persons visited us, and our store is thronged with customers every day during the spring. There is a good reason for our popularity.