The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-01-18
Northern Seed Co. Big
Institution Of Our City

Looking back on last years business
increase of over IS per cent, the North
ern Seed company of Valley City ex-
poets that 1917 will crumble this rec
ord in the dust and set up another that
will be high peak Of their. ten years in
business. Fifty thousand copies of the
1917 seed catalog are going out to GUS
toners in every state and to selected
list of names in North Dakota.
Now is the time-even with snow
covering the ground and the wrath of
February and March to be appeased-
when seed firms get in their good
work" Catalogs are being mailed by
the thousands every day while the
weather is cold. The farmers will read
them now, get up their orders, send
them in and when it becomes warm
the pinnacle of the rush will have been
passed. 1t will be planting time.
The Northern Seed company has
done a flourishing business since it
started here in 1907 just ten years ago.
1t was a struggle at first, for there
were goods seeds to be obtained and
myriads of tests to be made. Being the
only firm of it's kind in the eastern
part of the state-Fargo seed firms
sell at wholesale only-its prestige has
grown and grown until last year its
business took an unexpected jump,
lacking only Is per cent of actually
doubling over the year before.
The year 1917, with such record
back Of it, teens with even greater
business for the seed men, and espec-
tally for the Northern Seed company,
for its seeds are northern-grown,m most
OF them. They are acclimated. 1t is
for this reason that orders come from
southern. states like California and
Missouri for seeds which are harder
than those grown there.
There are larger seed firms than the
Northern, but the latter is one of the
largest in the state and purely home
concern. COL A. P. Peake is president
He at present is in California and the
business is actively managed by A. B.
Cox, vice president and general man.
ager, and George D. Kelsey, secretary.
G.. w. Nelson is treasurer. Other men
on the board of directors are E. H.
Briggs, Frank Heimes and John Laird
The other day a small package ar
rived by parcel post for the company.
There was scarcely any weight to it,
yet it's value was over S100 and the par
eel post rate was $4.87. 1t contained
flower seeds from France.
"Practically all our flower seeds
come from France" said Mr.. Cox. The
war served to lessen exports of seeds,
from that. country, but every little
while another shipment comes. The
Northern Seed company is in no dan
ger of running short.
A list of the states which are enter.
ed by Northern Seed company business
would be interesting in showing the
scope of this ten-year-old business in
North Dakota. competing with eastern
firms. Last years list comprised Cali
fornia, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New
York, North Dakota, Oregon, South Da-
kota, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin,
Wyoming, and the Canadian provinces
of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Mani
toba
The Northern Seed company's seeds
are thoroughly tested before they are
listed in the catalog for sale. This is
done in three ways. Some are set out
in shallow boxes in the window to
grow. Others, as flowers, are given to
the Valley City greenhouse to test in
ideal conditions, and testing machine
is the office serves for the third test
The firm knows exactly what it's seeds
will do before they are advertised for
sale.
Mr.. Cox exhibited some popcorn
which was being placed on the market.
1t was home product. M. C. James,
he said, grew it in his garden. When
tested it proved to pop better than
many standard brands.
There is no seed wanted in the north
ern states that is not furnished by this
local firm. Wheat, rye, barley, oats,
flax, speltz-all grains in quantities;
and garden and flower seeds. Many of
other zones, but all are selected with
an eye to the purpose for which they
will be used. If wanted to ripen,
seeds are best. If not,
some more luxuriant, more southernly
plant is kept. Practically all cabbage
seed comes from Copenhagen, but
melons, which are not too extensively
grown in the northwest yet, are prin-
cipally grown in Colorado.
On Oct. l, 1915, the Northern Seed
moved into its new building,
which is owned by its president, Col.
Peake. The top story is used by the
Masons. The ground floor and base
ment are all used by the seed firm.
On the ground floor, besides the Of
fees, is huge file full of packets of
seeds, bottles full of others, etc. When
an order comes in, it is quickly filled
from the file and deposited on truck.
The truck is never idle these days.
Business is kept track of by the lat
est business methods. The company's
card index system is arranged to keep
track of every customers business for
20 years. Filing systems, card index
system, self-sealing machines and 9TH
er impedimenta give the office and
storehouse an air of uptodateness that
is impressive.