Archive.org has a host of old seed catalogs (from mid-19th to mid-20th Century) available in many formats and on a host of topics. I happened across a few in my Pinterest feed and gone completely down the rabbit hole in this treasure trove of information. Sure some ideas might be out of date, but you never know what you might find when you explore these catalogs. I’ll be sharing more catalogs as I find them in the coming weeks. –Douglas
Historical Seed Catalogs: Farm, flower & garden seeds by A.A. Berry Seed Co (1905) – 21 in a series
Download in Text, PDF, Single Page JPG, TORRENT from Archive.org
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1905 GREETINGS
OUR DEAR OLD FRIENDS AND CUSTOMERS.— / Old Time has passed another mile-stone in the world’s history, and it affords us great
^^i^ pleasure to extend our usual annual greetings. These little personal heart-to-heart talks with our friends who have been so kind in sending orders from time to time, are indeed a great pleasure and a happy privilege.
Dear friends and patrons: We greet you with all warmth of heart, and hope the year we are just entering may be a prosperous and happy one with you and yours.
We certainly have your best interests and happiness at heart, and hope your prosperity will increase as the years roll by. We know it is to your best interests to use Berry’s Seeds and Plants. We have the great pleasure to inform you that the past year has been a very prosperous and happy one with us. Prosperous, because we received more than double the number of orders of any previous year; and when the number of orders can be doubled by a firm in a single season, it means that firm is prospering; and this can only be accomplished by fair and honest treatment of its customers, and by giving good value for the money received. To double any business in a single year speaks volumes in the way of management. But our Golden Rule method (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”), is reaping a harvest of satisfied customers who tell their neighbors about us and advertise our business to such an extent that they, in turn, send in their orders. That is why we have received more than twice as many orders as in previous years.
In all this effort of planning, of thoughtful and earnest endeavor to give only the best of every advertised article, there has been a mixture of pleasure and contentment which makes labor sweet and life a true pleasure to know that every order we send out is filled with germs of life from which, when nature has done her part, will spring forth living representatives of the plant- ing our poor pen has endeavored to make this Catalogue portray. This can only be done by grow- ers of seed themselves. The grower plants the seed and watches from the first sprout until matu- rity, and thus he can explain accurately and honestly its habits, appearance and yield, upon an average. This is why the multitudes buy seed from Berry. They know he knows what he is talking about when he has studied and demonstrated every single statement made.
Our hearts and worldly possessions are all in this work. We absolutely guarantee every seed or bulb We ship, to grow under reasonable conditions and proper care, and in all of our experience we have never allowed a customer to go dissatisfied if we could help it, and never will.
Dear Friend, you may have read all our catalogues from the beginning; if so, We thank you for your interest and attention; but that fact should not deter you from reading every word of this one.
We extend to all our customers, as well as to those who shall favor us with their first order, thanks for their patronage thus far, and for anticipated future orders. We can truthfufty say that no seedsman can give them more truthful and honest efforts than shall we.
This year we have broken away from the old beaten paths, and instead of spending so much money in newspaper advertising we will give to our customers $3,500 in Gold Prizes. I^is is a large sum of money, and it will be easy to obtain, as we absolutely give it away to our customers. See particulars on page five. The A. A. Berry Seed Company do as they agree.
May your harvest be ever abundant, and your joys know no end!
A. A. BERRY,
Manager for A. A. Berry Seed Co.
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** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Available from the LA Public Library