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32. SEED CATALOGUE AND GARDEN GUIDE.

FARM SEED DEPARTMENT.

THIS DEPARTMENT receives the most careful attention. We have a half dozen experts continuously watching the progress in new offerings in grain, inspecting crops, visiting the experiment stations and looking closely after the many details required to keep our stocks of seed grains and grass seed to the point where we can truthfully claim there is none superior on earth.
We take pride in our large and increasing trade in this branch of our business. We handle hundreds of carloads each year now and sales are continuously growing in numbers and quantity. It is no unusual thing to receive single orders amounting to $1,000.00, with cash enclosed. With our new and improved machinery for cleaning, which is as perfect as any in the United States, we can clean everything to the highest possible point, and with our careful selection of stocks we can and do offer you farm seeds so much superior to ordinary seed as used on the farm, that it will pay any farmer to buy of us.

High Grade Seed Grain--It costs more to grow a crop for seed purposes than the ordinary farmer can understand. It requires extra choice stock seed, special preparation of the land, special cultivation, great care in harvesting, cleaning, grading, testing, preparing for shipment, bags, etc., so that we are obliged to ask a considerable advance over market prices, but any intelligent farmer who appreciates the value of good seeds will agree with us that such pedigreed seed is well worth to him the price we ask. IT PAYS TO GROW THE BEST.

[image]
SEEDS
BULBS
ONLY ONE QUALITY.
THE BEST
PLANTS
TOOLS

PRICES named in this department are always subject to important market changes. All quotations are net and are not subject to any premium or discount. Clover and grass seeds are constantly varying in value, and we issue a price list daily during the busy season. Please write for quotations, sending list of requirements, when in need. Orders sent us will be given benefit of lowest prices on day order is received. Will take pleasure in mailing samples and quoting lnside [inside] prices at any time on large orders.

[image] WAREHOUSE, 208-210-212 SOUTH EIGHTH ST., WHERE ORDERS FOR FARM SEEDS ARE FILLED.

SHIPPING.--In this department everything that is quoted by the packet or pound is sent by mail, postpaid; all larger quantities, unless noted, are sent by express or freight at the expense of the purchaser. Prices named include bags and delivering to depot here.
ABOUT WARRANTING.--We thoroughly test all our seeds and nothing is sent out which we do not believe to be good in every respect. However, we give no warranty, express or implied, as to description, quality, productiveness, o rany [or any] other matter of any seeds, bulbs or plants we send out, and we will not be in any way responsible for the crop. If the purchaser does not accept the goods on these terms, they are at once to be returned, and the money paid for same will be refunded. 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 we are right.
OUR EXPERIMENTAL GROUNDS.--We are continually experimenting with farm seeds on our trial grounds by having plats of each variety of grain sown or planted, which enables us to determine their relative values. This enables us to better answer the inquiries of our customers.

It costs less than 45 cents an acre to use our carefully selected SEED CORN.

SEED CORN

Do you deem it wise to risk doubtful corn when GOOD SEED is so cheap?

This is our great specialty. We claim to be headquarters for seed corn in the United States. The reports from every section this year indicate that but a small percentage of the entire crop of corn is fit for seed. The heavy freeze of October which covered the entire corn belt destroyed the germ of part of the ears of nearly every field in the Middle West. We have tested every individual ear of our entire mammoth stock of seed corn before shelling in order to protect the germinating percentage of our seed. We have done this work thoroughly at a great cost of time and money, and we are now prepared to offer you thoroughbred seed corn of good vitality. The price is somewhat higher than ordinary years, but this is because of the immense amount of expense necessary to prepare the seed and keep up quality.

OUR SEED CORN IS CAREFULLY SELECTED.
Every farmer must this year examine each ear of corn which he proposes to use for seed purposes. You cannot tell from the appearance of the ears whether or not it will germinate. Some of the soundest looking ears will on test be found absolutely worthless for seed, and unless each ear is tested you cannot be sure of its vitality. We have done this work and if you will send us your orders for seed corn we assure you that nothing will be shipped that is not first class in every respect. You run no risk in buying seed corn of us, because you can test it on arrival and if it is not satisfactory it may be returned to us, if sent within ten days, and we will refund the money you paid us.

OUR NEW SEED CORN HOUSE
which we have just erected on our farm at Altoona, eleven miles east of Des Moines, is, we are sure, the best arranged and most complete building in America for this purpose. The outside walls are made up almost entirely of doors which can be lifted for ventilation and are in fact kept open all the time except during very cold or stormy weather. The interior arrangements consist mainly of very narrow high cribs with ventilators running through the entire length of them and narrow passage between the cribs. There is a very extensive system of steam pipes underneath, which are used as needed for drying the corn and also to keep out moisture during foggy weather and to protect it from freezing.
WE ARE BREEDERS of seed corn, growing it here in central Iowa, the best section for corn in the great corn belt of the United States. We have several seed corn specialists, who select stock seed for our crops. Each ear is critically examined in all points with greatest care and only the strong and vigorous in vitality, true to the ideal of each variety used. These ears must be uniform in shape and color, straight rows, tips well filled with large grains denoting vigor and strength, kernels uniform in color, depth, width, shape and such other points as are desirable and indicate well bred corn. The stock seed is given to careful growers who, for many years past, have made a specialty of growing seed corn exclusively for us, and know just how to handle the crops to secure best results. Our rule is to have each variety grown at least ninety rods from any other in order to prevent its becoming mixed. Greatest care is used in preparing and having soil in best condition and in cultivation of the crop.
We have about 800 acres of corn being grown for us for seed purposes near Altoona and when brought in at husking time it is not shoveled but is handled by conveyors throughout, from the time it is dumped by special machinery from wagons and conveyed to sorting hoppers where it is carefully handled and all inferior ears discarded. It is then taken on to drying cribs where it remains until February when it is again re-sorted by seed corn experts, shelled and graded.

[image] SEED CORN HOUSE AT ALTOONA

We have special machinery for tipping and butting and our seed corn is very carefully graded so it can be planted with the edge dropping corn planter. It is then tested by taking several lots of 100 kernels, each from different bags or bins, just as corn runs in bulk, the only way to get a true average test. Great care is used through the whole process. Corn thus prepared is more expensive, but worth much more.

OUR "IOWA SHIELD" GUARANTEES QUALITY. THE BRAND GOES ON AFTER THE SEED IS IN THE SACK.