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1871 - 1900
Twenty Nine Years Successful Business!

DES MOINES, IOWA, January, 1900.
Hearty Greetings and Good Wishes
Are hereby extended to our FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS who have so kindly favored us with their orders during the past year, which has been the best season that we have ever had, and now as we are entering our thirtieth year in the seed trade and the closing year of the nineteenth century, we are resolved to make it by far the best in the history of this house. To accomplish this object we have enlarged and greatly improved our catalogue, comparing the descriptions with the crops growing in the field and carefully revising them so that they shall be correct in every particular. We have dropped some varieties which have been supplanted by better ones.
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. Do not be satisfied to devote your entire crop to old varieties, but test some of our new improved sorts and in this way add greatly to your yield and also improve the quality.
Our 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 2,800 letters and postals per day. About five blocks away, located beside the railroad tracks, is the warehouse where large quantities of seed are stored and hauled to our city store as needed.
We Grow Our 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 have this year traveled between 6,000 and 7,000 miles inspecting our growing crops.
OUR COLORS.--For many 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 are proud of this title and love and honor the old flag as every true citizen should, and are trying to uphold the principles for which it stands, since the late war, however, many firms are using the flag simply for advertising purposes, and this year we show "OUR COLORS" in another form.

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CHOICE IOWA SEEDS
TESTED AND TRUE
IOWA SEED CO. DES MOINES.

We are determined to do business in such a manner as to give our patrons complete satisfaction and 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
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.

What Our Postmaster Says: To whom it may concern: I have known the proprietors of the Iowa Seed Co. for many years and can recommend them as trustworthy, energetic businessmen. They are shipping thousands of packages to all parts of the U. S. and we hear no complaint from their customers.
Respectfully,
EDW. H. HUNTER, P. M.

24 YEARS A CUSTOMER.--"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, Ind.

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