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[image top: rock Established 1870]

1870-1903
Thirtythree Years of Successful Business!

DES MOINES, IOWA, January, 1903.

Hearty Greetings and Good Wishes
Are hereby extended to our Friends and Customers who have favored us with their orders during the past year and thus helped us to have the best and most prosperous season that we have ever experienced. Thirty-three years, A Third of a Century, is a long time and this long continued success proves that there is a feeling of growing confidence on the part of the public, in our establishment, for without it we could not succeed. We shall strive to continue to merit your confidence and approval by using every effort to secure the best results in growing and selecting the choicest, purest and most reliable seeds and prove to you that our motto, "Only one quality, THE BEST," is well taken.

We know that our Choice Iowa Seeds are unsurpassed, that our prices are right and our promptness and care in filling orders make many friends. 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 as, namely:

"SEEDSMEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE."

Read What Prominent Men Say.

They are a proof of merit. Such testimonials cannot be bought.

"I have bought seeds of you for several years past and have found them very satisfactory. I have used them on my own farm and also sold them to others and have had no complaint. Have also purchased some, from other firms, but could not depend on them as on yours."-R. J. Johnson, Humboldt, Iowa, President Iowa State Agricultural Society.

"I am pleased to state that all seeds, both garden and field, that I have bought of your firm during the past twelve years have been perfectly satisfactory, and I am always pleased to recommend the Iowa Seed Company to any and all who are in need of anything in their line."-M. J. Wragg, Waukee, Iowa, President Iowa State Horticulutural Society.

The gardening public and farmers everywhere are requested to thoroughly examine all parts of this book, which we have enlarged, thoroughly revised and rewritten this year and 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 that 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 6,200 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.

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 COMPANY.

M . KURTZWEIL, President.
CHAS. N. PAGE, Treasurer and Manager.

KIND WORDS FROM OLD FRIENDS.

Very few Seed Dealers can Equal this Record.

I have bought seeds every year from your company since 1871, after Mr. Fuller started the business at Des Moines; have always found your seeds good. -W. S. Maxwell, Lawndale, Texas.

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, Fairmount, Indiana.

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.

SUGGESTIONS TO CUSTOMERS.

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 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 stamp 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 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 good reliable seed can be sold.

DISCOUNTS.-On all orders for seeds in packets the puchaser 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 a 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. Somtimes persons think they have ordered articles which they have omitted, and blame us for not sending them.

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 throughly test all our seeds and nothing is sent out which we do not believe to be good in every respect. When it is considered how many are the contigencies 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 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 vegetables 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 cataologues 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 Master 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 for $5.00 or over. Club orders which call for this amount of bulk seeds altogether are entitled to these prices.

PREPAID RAILROAD STATIONS.--Many of our farmer customers live at Prepaid Railroad Stations, where there are no agents. In such cases we must request them to send sufficient money to prepay freight charges on heavy shipments, also in cases where perishable or other goods are ordered to be sent by freight or express to such great distances that cost of transportation will nearly or quite equal the value of goods.

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.

Unferen Deutichen Freunden diene hiermit zur Rachricht, das mir auch Gamen=Kataloge in deuticher Sprache druden. Biele unferer Landsleute geben der Mutteriprache den Borzug und verfenden mir diefe Kataloge frei an Ulle, die darum anfragen. Bitte fenden Sie uns die Ubreffen Threr deutichen Rachbarn, damit diefe den beften deutichen Katalog in America erhalten.

FOREIGN ORDERS.--Our trade with European countries, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the West Indies and other foreign countries, is increasing constantly, and while it is still somewhat expensive and slow to send large shipments by freight, small lots can be sent by mail quite easily. We are willing to prepay the postage on all vegetable and flower seeds offered by the packet or ounce, at the prices named in this catalogue, to Canada, Mexico, all parts of Europe, and all countries of the Postal Union. Not more than 12 ounces can be sent in each package.

WE ARE PLEASED TO RECEIVE SAMPLES OF NEW, RARE OR SUPERIOR SEEDS YOU MAY SEND US FOR TRIAL