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[Image: Illustration of a rock with text etched into it, Text-Established 1871, illustrator-(illegible, Geo. F.?) White, Des Moines, IA]

1871 - 1898
Twenty Seven Years Successful Business!

Des Moines, Iowa, January, 1898.
To Our Customers:
It is a pleasant task to talk with our patrons each year through the medium of this catalogue, although we would be much more pleased to take each of you by the hand with a personal greeting and thank you for your orders and kind words. Des Moines is a great place for conventions, and at such times we meet thousands of our customers from other towns each year, who seldom fail to call on us when in the city. For more than a quarter of a century our place of business has been known as The Iowa Seed Store, being the largest as well as the oldest seed concern in the state. In every neighborhood in the state our seeds are well known and popular, our trade has extended to every state in the Union, and our highest ambition is to deserve the title which has been applied to us, namely, "Seedsmen To The American People."

[Left Column]
Our Colors.
For several years we have illustrated the National colors on the cover of our catalogue, and what is more appropriate for a firm which is called, "SEEDSMEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE." We love and honor the old flag as every true citizen should and are trying to uphold the principles for which it stands. When we speak of American people we do not mean simply those born in the U. S., but every one who considers this country his home. Many of our best customers are farmers and gardeners who came from foreign shores and have adopted this as their country and our flag as their flag.
This business was established by S. L. Fuller, a veteran of the late war. He came from Ohio and began the seed business here in 1871, and was more or less intimately connected with it until a short time before his death which occurred in 1893. He was a true seedsman who was in love with his business and appreciated its importance. We should be pleased to hear from any of his old customers.
In the early spring of 1876 Chas. N. Page was employed as a clerk and saved sufficient money to buy an interest in the business in December, 1884. In 1886 he became general manager, and changed the name to Iowa Seed Company as more befitting a business of this kind. He has occupied the same position ever since thus making 21 years' continuous service.
M. Kurtzweil was brought up in Madison county, Iowa, his father being a well known seed grower. In 1879 he began growing seeds for this company and continued each year until 1888 when he moved to Des Moines and became superintendent of our seed farm. In 1889 he sold his farm and bought an interest in the Iowa Seed Co., and in 1895 became its president. He still looks after the seed crops and filling mail orders.
[Image: Illustration of three men, head & shoulders, in oval frames, Captions-M. Kurtzeweil, S. L. Fuller, Chas. N. Page.]

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While we are receiving many orders from South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, as well as many of the sea islands, still it is the home trade that we are most anxious for, and we solicit the orders of everyone who uses seeds from Maine to California and from the lakes to the Gulf of Mexico.
The soil and climate of Iowa are especially adapted to the perfect growth and maturing of seed crops, and we devote much time and labor to testing, experimenting and improving our various choice strains of seed. Our Seeds not only Grow but produce crops good in quality and large in quantity.
Our new store is as conveniently arranged a building as there is in America for the seed business and orders can be filled with great rapidity, our mail during the busy season averaging 1,000 to 1,800 letters and postals per day. In last year's catalogue we published photo-engravings of a number of the principal departments. About five blocks away, located beside the railroad tracks is our warehouse, where large quantities of seed are stored and hauled to our city store as needed, no orders being filled from the warehouse except carload lots.

We Grow Our Own Seeds, either on our own place or have them grown under contract for us. Our home farm is devoted to growing small items and stock seeds which we place with practical seed growers and contract for the entire crop which is subject to our personal inspection at all times during the growing season. We handle altogether about 2,000 varieties of seeds and it requires the crop of seeds from about 4,500 acres to supply our trade. 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.

Suggestions To Customers.
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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 railroads centering at Des Moines, so that quick shipments can be made to any town in the United States.

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 route, 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.

Testing.--All seeds are carefully tested, and nothing sent out which we do not believe to be good in every respect.

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 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.

Newspapers.--We offer a year's subscription to either the Western Garden, of Des Moines, or Farm Journal, of Philadelphia, to anyone ordering seeds to the amount of $1.00 or more and asking for it in place of other premium.

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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 that they have ordered articles which they have omitted, and blame us for not sending them.

[Image: pointing finger]
Notice.--The importance of Good Seeds cannot be overestimated, and we are certain that after a trial all our customers will agree that our seeds are the purest and best to be had. Still, when it is considered how many are the contingencies on which the success of any crop depends, our customers will readily see that it would be sheer folly for any one to warrant them to produce a perfect crop, and we want it distinctly understood that while we exercise the greatest 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 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 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 who guarantees seeds any further than this. Compare with other seed catalogues and you will find that we are right.

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 the 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.

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.

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