3

1871-1901
[Image: Drawing of a rock with text, Caption-Established 1871]
Thirty Years Successful Business
Des Moines, Iowa, January, 1901.

To Our Customers:

With the old century which has just closed we completed our 30 years experience in the seed business. It is a record of constant pleasant relations with the farmers and gardeners, not only of Iowa, but of the whole country, and we are proud of it. It is a record of steady, almost continual growth from a very small beginning until now, through the kindness of our patrons, our trade has distanced almost all of our competitors and we now claim to fill more retail seed orders than any three seed firms in Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Denver or San Francisco combined. There must be some good reason for this and it lies in the fact that our CHOICE IOWA SEEDS are unsurpassed, that our prices are right and that we please and satisfy our customers.
In beginning the new century and our thirty-first year in the trade we are even more determined than ever before to give each of our customers such complete satisfaction that we shall secure their entire trade and retain it from year to year. In almost every neighborhood in America our seeds are known and used and our highest ambition is to deserve the title which has been applied to us, namely;
"Seedsmen To The American People."

[Image: Drawing of an anchor with text on the image, Captions: Choice Iowa Seeds, Tested and True, Iowa Seed Co., Des Moines.]

The gardening public and farmers everywhere are requested to thoroughly examine all parts of this book, which we have tried to make of practical value to everyone. Notice the many new and improved varieties which we are offering this year and instead of devoting your entire crop to the old sorts we are sure that it will pay you to add both to the quality and yield by planting the newer kinds such as we recommend.
We Grow Our Own Seeds, either on our own place or have them grown from carefully selected stock seeds and it requires the entire seed crop from about 4,800 acres to supply our trade. The soil and climate of Iowa are specially adapted to growing and maturing most seed crops, still there are some varieties which will produce better seed in other localities and we spend a large part of the summer and fall in traveling around among our growers inspecting the growing crop.
The many thousands of persons already our customers and also the 100,000 new customers whom we hope to add to our lists this year are respectfully invited to call and see the store and the various parts of our business establishment described on the preceding page and we are sure they will find much to interest them.
Again thanking you for past favors, respectfully soliciting a continuance of your patronage and wishing you a happy and prosperous new year, we remain.
Your friends, Iowa Seed Co.
M. Kurtzweil, President.
Chas. N. Page Treasurer and Manager.

[Text inside decorative border.]
Kind Words From Old Friends.
Very few Seed Dealers can Equal this Record.
This is my 29th year getting seeds from your firm and they are all O.K. We are back in "Peerless Old Iowa" again after four years in California and eight years in Arkansas.-Bryant Graves, Lenox, Iowa.
I want to say that in my trading with you for the last ten years, my orders have been filled promptly, seeds have been the best quality, shipped in good shape, treatment courteous, and I assure you that it has been appreciated.-E. B. Cooper, Trenton, Mo.
I have bought seeds every year from your company since 1871, when Mr. Fuller started the business at Des Moines; have always found your seeds good.-W. S. Maxwell, Lawndale, Tex.
I have been a customer of the Iowa Seed Co. since 1875, and always intend to be so long as they prove as satisfactory as in the past. Both they and their seeds are reliable.-J. C. Jessup, Fairmont, Ind.

Suggestions To Customers.
[Left column.]
Order Early.-The best time to order is just as soon as you receive this catalogue, as we can always give your orders more of our personal attention if they come in before the rush of the spring trade. Please use the order sheet as it makes it more convenient for us in filling orders. Terms are invariably cash with order, as we keep no book accounts in our mail order department, and the expense of sending goods C.O.D. is quite large. Postage stamps received as cash.
Shipping.-There are five express companies and fifteen railroad lines at Des Moines, so that quick shipments can be made to any town in the United States[.] It is well to remember that express charges are usually very much higher on heavy goods, and you should order them sent by fast freight.
Charges Prepaid.-All Vegetable and Flower Seeds, Bulbs and Plants, except those noted, are sent prepaid by mail or express by the quickest and most direct routes unless ordered otherwise, and we guarantee their safe arrival. Seeds sold by the peck or bushel, field seeds, potatoes, implements, and other heavy goods are sent by freight or express, purchaser paying charges.
Our Prices.-Our constant aim is to make the highest quality the first consideration, and next to put our prices as low as a good reliable seeds can be sold.
Discounts.-On All Orders For Seeds In Packets the purchaser may select twenty-five cents' worth extra for each one dollar sent us. This refers only to seeds in packets, not in bulk. Each year we put up thousands of packets of seeds for free distribution among our customers, by adding liberally of them to orders. We will allow you a discount of ten cents per pound on vegetable seeds, such as are listed as prepaid, if you are willing to have them sent by express or freight at your expense.
Small Orders.-If you only want a single packet, do not hesitate to send for it. We take as much pains to fill small orders promptly and correctly as we do large ones. Orders for Flower Plants and Nursery Stock, however, must amount to at least fifty cents.
Plant Orders.-Orders for plants will be filled as early in spring as we consider it safe to send them. If ordered for immediate shipment in severe weather they will be sent at purchaser's risk.
What We Guarantee.-That all money sent us for seed shall reach us if sent by registered letter. P.O., or express money order or bank draft, made payable to our order. That your order will be filled promptly and well. That goods ordered will reach you safely. Keep a copy of your order. Sometimes persons think they have ordered articles which they have omitted, and blame us for not sending them.
[Right column.]
Our Responsibility.-As this book will probably go into the hands of many who are unacquainted with us this question will naturally arise, and in answer to same we refer you, by permission to the Valley National Bank of this city to the postmaster, or to any of the various express companies.
About Warranting.-We thoroughly test all our seeds and nothing is sent out which we do not believe to be good in every respect. Still, when it is considered how many are the contingencies on which the success of any crop depends, such as sowing too deep or too shallow, too wet or dry soil, unfavorable weather, insects, etc., our customers will readily see that it would be sheer folly for anyone to warrant them to produce a perfect crop, and we want it plainly understood that while we exercise great care to have all seeds pure and reliable, and also true to name, we do not give any warranty, express or implied. If the purchaser does not accept the seeds on these terms and conditions, they are to be returned at once, and the money that has been paid for same will be refunded. No officer, agent or employe [employee] of this company is authorized to make any warranty whatsoever. However, we have so much confidence in our seeds that we hereby agree to refill any retail order for vegetable or flower seeds free of charge, should they prove otherwise than as we represent them. We know of no responsible seed firm in the world which guarantees seeds any further than this[.] Compare with other seed catalogues and you will find that we are right.
Market Gardeners and others who buy Vegetable Seeds In Bulk to the amount of $5.00 or more, are requested to send for our Market Gardeners' Price List. This list for market gardeners is intended only for large buyers, and is exclusively for those who order vegetable seeds alone by weight or measure amounting to $5.00 or over. Club orders which call for this amount of bulk seeds altogether are entitled to these prices.
Our German Friends Will be pleased to notice that we also issue a catalogue in the German language, and we will take pleasure in sending a copy free on request. Tell your German neighbors about it.

[German text letters are not legible.]
Unferen Deutidjen Freundett blene biermit zur Kathridht, bus wit audi Gamen=Pataloge in beuticher Sprache bruden. Biele unferer Bandsleute geben ber Mutteriprache ben Borzug unb berfenben mir biefe Rataloge frei an Ulle, bie barum anfragen. Bitte fenden Gie una bie Ubreffen Sbrer beutidhen Madhbarn, bamit biefe ben beften beurfchen Natalog in Umerila erbalten.

We Are Always Pleased To Receive Samples Of Any New, Rare, Or Superior Seeds You May Send Us For Trial.