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[Image: Established 1870]

1870-1905
Thirtyfive Years Successful
Business!

Des Moines, Iowa, January, 1905.

To our Friends and Patrons:

It is a pleasure to again greet our many friends at the beginning of the new year, and we extend to you our sincere wishes for a most
Happy New Year. May success and prosperity attend you, and good health be ever present. Most heartily do we thank you for the past seasons
trade, and we feel that while you have helped us by a liberal patronage, we also have tried to assist you to have a prosperous farm, a successful garden, beautiful flowers and a handsome lawn. For thirty-five years we have been growing and distributing our Choice Iowa Seeds to every part
of the country Thirty-five years is a long time and it has been a record of almost constant growth from a small beginning until now our mall order
trade Is the largest of any in this line west of the Mississippi, and the second in magnitude west of Philadelphia. 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.

More than ever are we determined this year to give each customer the best seeds that they have ever had and to fill their orders promptly and
well realizing that in the past our promptness and care in filling orders has made many friends. It is our highest ambition to merit the title which
has so often been applied to us, 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 satitifactory. 1 have used them on
my own farm and also sold them to
others and have had no complaints.
Have also purchased some from other
firms, but could not depend on them as
on yours." R. J. Johnson, Humboldt,
Iowa, President Iowa State Agricu!tural
Society.

"l 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, lowa, President Iowa State
Horticultural Society.

In spite of the unfavorable season in many localities
for maturing the seed crops, our crops have with very
few exceptions been harvested in excellent condition,
and are of superior quality.

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 8,600
acres to supply our trade. The soli 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 travelling 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, Tex.

I have been a customer of hte 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 or 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 mall 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 usuaily
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
qulckest 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 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 send them. lf ordered for immediate shipment In
severe weather they wlll 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 ofder 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.

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, or Century Savings 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. 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 wlll 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 warrarty
whatsoever. However, we have so much confidence in our seeds that we
hereby agree to refill any retail order for vegetable or fiower 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.

Prepaid Railroad Stations. - Many of our former 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.

[illegible]

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 cataIogue,
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.