Historic, Archive Document
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CATALOGUE
Small Fruit and Vege-
table Plants
S. C. ATHERTON
Greenwood Delaware
DESCRIPTION
EARLY CABBAGE PLANTS.
Cabbage Plants are a specialty with me. I endeavor to
Pave them for sale from about April 1st to Aug. 15.
My earliest Cabbage Plants are grown in greenhouses and
transplanted into cold frames to harden. This makes a good
hardy plant with plenty of root ready for open field about Ap-
ril 1st. 1
About May 10 I will have early cabbage plants grown in
onen field and not transplanted. These are good stsocky, hardy
plants, ready at a time suited for setting in the Northern States
and at a much smaller price.
Price of Early Cabbage Plants.
Those grown in greenhouses and transplated: 50 cts. per
100; $5.00 per 1000.
Those grown in field, not transplanted: 20 cts. per 100;
$1.75 per 1000.
Varieties: Winningstadt, Jersey Wakefield and Charleston
Wakefield.
LATE CABBAGE PLANTS.
T shall as usual try to have a supply of late Cabbage on
hand, proper size to set, from June 1 to Aug. 15, of the follow-
ins* varieties: Danish Ball Head, Late Flat Dutch, Surehead,
rind All Season.
Price of Late Cabbage Plants: 20 cts. per 100; $1.50 per 1000.
EARLY TOMATO PLANTS.
Mv Earlv Tomato Plants are grown in greenhouse. I sow
the seeds early in March and when plants are large enough I
transplant into cold frames. I usually have them ready to set
in ooen field about May 5th to 10th.
ORDER BLANK.
S. C. ATHERTON,
Greenwood, Delaware.
Send to B. F. D.
Post Office Box __
Ship by Shipping Station
County or Street State
Date of this order Ship about
Amt. enclosed —
Check $ Money Order $ Stamps $ Cash $.
PLEASE FILL OUT ABOVE CAREFULLY
QUANTITY |
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Variety of Stock Wanted | PRICE
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QUANTITY
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Variety of Stock Wanted
PRICE
Shall I Substitute? Answer
S. C. Atherton, Greenwood, Del.
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Varieties.
I have tested many varieties and have found none better
than the following three:
Sparks Earliana. This is one of the very earliest varieties,
known. Medium in size, and fairly smooth for so early a va-
riety. While this is not to be compared to some later ones, I
can recommend it for the very earliest. Every one should set
a few of these for fruiting early.
Chalks Jewell. This is a good second early variety, very
smooth and perfect in form Ripens about a week later than
Sparks. Plant quite strong and continues to bear for a long
tinm. Fruit not very large in size, color "bright red. Every-
thing considered, this is a pretty good early variety for family
or market.
John Baer. This is by far the best early tomato I ever
saw. The fruit is perfectly smooth, round, and solid, does not
crack open, bright red in color, ripens all over at once. A good
sa inner. Is about ten days later than Sparks Earliana. Vine
a vigorous grower and remains in bearing a long time. Any-
one cannot make a mistake in setting this variety either for
marke or family use.
Price of Tomato Plants: 75c per 100; $6.00 per 1000.
LATE TOMATO PLANTS.
This season I will grow two varieties, same as last season,.
Slone and Success. The plants are grown in open field and are
not transplanted, but are good strong stocky plants. Plants
will be ready about June 5th.
Price: 25c per 100; $2.00 per 1000.
CELERY PLANTS.
I do not grow early Celery Plants, but do grow many thous-
ands of late ones, and ship them hundreds of miles by express-
and mail to my large list of customers.
Varieties.
This season I will offer the following varieties, ready to
shin about July 10: Giant Pascal, Winter Queen, Golden Heart
and White Plume.
Price of Celery Plants: 30 cts. per 100; $2.50 per 1000.
4
S. C. Atherton, Greenwood, Del.
BEET PLANTS.
This season I will offer only two varieties of Beet Plants:
Crosbys Jumbo and Early Blood Turnip. Plants ready about
May 15.
Price: 30c per 100; $2.00 per 1000.
SWETT POTATO PLANTS.
Gold Skin. — This is the most popular variety grown in this
section. A tremendous yielder, a bright yellow skin and yellow
clear through, very rich and good flavor, not quite so good a
keeper as some others but can be kept all winter when tempera-
ture is right. I can recommend this as one of the very best for
market or home use.
Up River — This is a yellow variety, does not yield quite
so well as Gold Skin, but is perhaps a little better keeper and
for this reason is preferred by some. It is also claimed bv some
that this variety does not grow so large and sells better m
market.
Red Nansemond. — This is the best red variety that I know
anything about, very smooth, good shape, medium size, and a
good keeper. For those who like a dry potato this is the very
best in eating qualities. It does not usually sell quite so well in
the citv markets, as the yellow variety, but for home use it has
no superior.
Prices of Sweet Potato Plants.
25 cts. per 100; $2.00 per 1000. If ordered to be sent by mail
add 12 cts. per 100 for postage. Plants ready about May 10.
EGG PLANTS.
This season I will have the same two varieties of Egg Plants
as usual, as these are the best varieties I can find, namely: N. Y.
Purple and Black Beauty. Both are purple in color, egg hape
in form and heavy yielders. Black Beauty is just a little the
earliest. The Egg Plant is a hot weather plant and should not
be set in open ground until settled warm weather comes; even
then it requires some skill to transplant and start them grow-
ing*, but after they start they grow very fast and bear until
frost.
Price of Egg Plants: 20 cts. per Doz.; 75 cts. per 100; $6.00
per 1000. Plants ready about May 5th.
S. O. Atherton, Greenwood, Del.
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PEPPER PLANTS.
Ruby King. — The most desirable and popular of the large
mild peppers and in great demand in the city market. It is a
brilliant red color and grows to a good size.
Chinese Giant. — One of the largest peppers grown. Fruit
very handsome in appearance, mild and sweet. It is pronounced
bv all who know it to be one of the best.
Price of Pepper Plants: 15 cts. per dozen; 60 cts. per 100;
$5.00 per 1000. Plants ready about May 5th.
How to Treat Plants on Arrival.
When plants arrive in a wilted condition, unpack them at
once and put the roots into a bucket of cool water for an hour.
They will generally revive and be in condition to set in ground.
READ BEFORE ORDERING.
Cash is required with all orders, and remittances should be
made by Post Office Money Orders, Express Orders or Register-
ed Letter. Stamps received for small amounts.
Orders may be booked in advance, held a reasonable time
and sent on remittance.
How We Ship: Unless otherwise ordered, we usually ship all
orders by Express, but large orders can be safely sent, early in
the season by freight. If for only short distances can send small
orders of small plants by mail in perfect safety. Purchasers to
pay transportation charges in alb cases.
Mistakes. I very seldom have any complaint on this line,,
as all possible precautions are taken to avoid mistakes. Notify
me at once if your order is not properly filled and I will rectify
all mistakes.
Packing. I make no charge for boxing and packing. Ail
plants are delivered on cars at Greenwood at prices given.
Time to Order: It is best for purchasers to send their orders
early and have them booked, ahead as I am sometimes sold out
of some varieties before the season is over.
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S. C. Atherton, Greenwood, Del.
STRAWBERRIES.
The growing of Strawberries has had its ups and downs m
the past, like most other crops, butat present those who are
growing strawberries for market are very fortunate as the mar-
ket has been remarkably good for two years past, and the pros-
pect is good for several years to come. Reports of $1000 per
acre income are not uncommon now, and $500 per acre is not
more than average last season for this section. While these
extravagant prices may not last, it is sure to be very profitable
for tlie careful and skillful grower.
The price of good plants must necessarily be pretty high
while berries are so gihg.
Parsons Beauty. This is an old standard variety, has stood
the test for more than 20 years-, and is too well known to need
much description. It is a heavy producer of large, dark red
berries, quite solid, and very rich in flavor. Its quality is so
good that it is in great demand for canning and preserving.
£ome of the canneries will pay a premium above all other va-
rieties for canning purposes. Its only fault is that the foliage
sometimes rusts, especially on high dry land. It does best on
rather moist low ground.
Joe Johnson or Big Joe as it is sometimes called, is an
aristocrat among strawberries. It is of the Gandy type and
greatlv resembles that variety both in fruit and foliage. It
rinens about a week ahead of Gandy. Fruit very large and
firm, and every berry perfectly round and colored all over at
once. While it does not bear such heavy crops as some of the
imperfect varieties, it bears a good crop, and what it lacks in
quantity is made up in quality. The foliage is very healthy and
upright in growth; does not make so many plants as most va-
rieties, therefore the plants will not be plentiful or cheap.
Chester, This is a new variety that I introduced into this
section three years ago. It is a large fancy berry, somewhat
irregular in form, quite solid, a good heavy cropper and No. 1
quality; ripens a week before Gandy. Plant is not an extra
strong grower and requires rich ground to make heavy beds.
Foliage is perfectly healthy and very handsome in appearance.
I recommend this variety either for marker or family use.
Progressive. After trying most of the Fall bearing varie-
ties I have discarded all but Progressive. It is by far the best
of them all It commences to bear in July the same season that
S. O. Atherton, Greenwood, Del.
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the plants are set and continues to bear until frost. For best
results the blossoms should be kept cut off until the plants get
a good start, about July 1st. It requires very rich soil to do
its best. The fruit is only medium in size but its quality is
'very fine. This is no longer a novelty but a standard known
variety.
Superior. This is an old well tried variety. It has been
the standard for this section for more than 20 years, and there
are still more Superior grown here than all other varieties to-
gether. It produces an immense crop of very handsome medium
size, solid fruit which ships well and sells well and brings lots
of money per acre. Plant is very strong and healthy, in fact
it is one of the easiest varieties to grow. Don’t fail to set
Superior for home use or market.
Glen Mary. This is one of the best known varieties m
existence and a favorite in all the northern States. It don’t
need any description as it has been in cultivation over a wide
extent of territory for more than 20 years. I have a nice stock
of plants of this variety.
Lupton. This is a new variety of great value. It is very
much like Gandy in size and appearance of fruit, also foliage
resembles that of Gandy. It ripens a week earlier than Gandy
and will sell for as much as Gandv. Last season Lupton ber-
ries sold right along in our market here for $10.00 per 32-qt.
crate. One can easily see what an acre of Lupton berries would
bring even at one-half of these prices. It makes a very large
planf and while it is a good strong grower, the plants are so
large that it will not make half as many per acre as most va-
rieties.
Sample. This is another of the old well-known varieties.
Das imperfect bloom, and like most imperfect varieties bears
an immense crop. The fruit is very round, smooth, and perfect
iri form; quite large, quality good. Only medium solid. The
strongest point is the immense crop that it produces and the
ease with which a crop can be grown.
Kellogg Prize. This is another imperfect variety, that
bears very heavy crops of large, somewhat irregular berries,
quite solid, but quality is only ordinary. Ripens a few days
earlier than Gandy, and continues to bear as long as Gandy.
The plant is very large and a strong healthy grower. The
strongest point in favor of this variety is its heavy bearing
quality and good size. While not a fancy berry, its large size
and bright color cause it to sell fairly well.
S. C. Atherton, Greenwood, Del.
PRICE LIST OF STRAWBERRY PLANTS.
Chester, Per
Glen Mary, Per
Lupton, Per
Parsons Beauty, Per
Progressive, Per
Joe Johnson, Per
Kellogg’s Prize, Imp
Superior, Per.
Sample, Imp
50 at Hundred Rates; 5 00 at Thousand Rates.
By
Express
Charges Collect
Per 100
Per 1000
$ .75
$6.00
. 7 5
6.00
1.00
8.00
. 75
6.00
1 . 20
10.00
. 7 5
6 . 00
. 7 5
6.00
. 60
5.00
. 7 5
6 . 00
STATE OF DELAWARE
STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE
Ctrtificate of Nursery Inspection
Dover, Delaware, October 28, 1919.
To Whom it May Concern:
This certifies that I have this day examined the nursery stock and
premises of the Nurseries of Samuel C. Atherton at Greenwood, Sussex coun-
ty, Delaware, and that said nursery stock is apparently free from crown gall,
peach yellows, peach rosette, the San Jose scale, and all other plant diseases
and insects of a seriously dangerous nature, that may be transferred on
nursery stock.
This certificate may be revoked by the State Board of Agriculture for
cause, and it is invalid after August 31, 19 20, and does not include nursery
stock not grown on the above named premises unless such stock is covered
by certificate of a State of Government officer and accepted by the State
Board of Agriculture.
WESLEY WEBB, Inspector.
FARM FOR SALE.
My 60 acre truck farm, 50 acres in cultivation and 10 acres
in woodland and timber. Land is a clay loam. Will grow
large crops of corn, wheat, hay, potatoes, strawberries and any-
thing that grows in the temperate zone.
Has a valuable young apple orchard of nearly 100 trees,
which is paying handsomely.
Buildings consist of modern 9-room dwelling, nearly new,
with bath, Lot and cold water. Good barn, nearly new. 5-room
tenant house. Greenhouse, 10x75, with hot water heat.
This farm is 1% miles from hustling town with two rail-
roads and all conveniences.
Price $3500. Worth much more.
S. C. ATHERTOX,
Greenwood, Del.