A Gardener's Notebook

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 Sure some ideas might be out of date, but you never know what you might find when you explore these catalogs.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: Flower seeds by Miss C.H. Lippincott (1903) – 8 in a series

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January 1st, 1903.

IT IS with the greatest pleasure I send my little catalogue for A 1903 season to my friends and patrons. I wish to thank you all for the very successful season of 1902. The demand for my seeds obliged me to issue an extra edition of 38,000 catalogues last year, and I trust the coming season may require even a larger extra edition. I have done my best to make the 1903 catalogue better than that of any previous year, and trust that I have been fortunate enough to give just what my friends most want.

A review of my customers’ names reveals the pleasant fact that very many remain with me from year to year, giving me continued patronage, and this fact I take to be the highest compliment that could be paid any business, and the best incentive to renewed energy.

The universal cold, wet summer has made seed-growing rather up-hill work, in many instances causing seeds to rot in the ground and preventing germination entirely. Some, no doubt, are very much discouraged, but I earnestly hope not entirely so, and that they will try again, feeling assured that with more favorable weather they will surely reap rich results in beautiful blossoms. At the urgent request of many patrons, I have added a line of roses and vines to my business, which you will find in the copy of Floral Culture which goes with every cash order of seeds, or will be sent on application FREE. I receive a number of letters saying the writers failed to receive a catalogue for several years, to all of which I would reply, I mail a catalogue to all of my customers each year, to everyone who purchases seed, but many of these go astray in the mail. So to all who will drop a card asking for one, if theirs is late in appearing, I will send’ it with pleasure. I have received so many nice letters from kind friends. I wish it were possible to print and answer them all, but space is limited; so kindly remember that they are all read and fully appreciated, and I answer them as best I can in this general letter in my catalogue greeting. Thanking you all for past favors and hoping for the continuance of your patronage, I am, Very sincerely yours,

More information on this catalog:

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* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Available from the LA Public Library

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

I love the artwork I find in these catalogs. They range from the austere to the fanciful to the comic — as with these Brownies plants and harvesting the flowers they selected. They stand alone as little artworks all by themselves.

Historical Seed Catalogs: Choice flower seeds (1898) – 7 in a series

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FOR THE STORY OF THE BROWNIES.

My 1898 Greeting! Cash Prizes

My artist (another woman) has given you, this year, three pictures of the Brownies, viz.: (1) the front cover page, (2) this page and (3) the back cover page, and into these pic- tures, in this order, she has woven a little story, in the right reading of which by my patrons I am very much interested. And so I offer the prizes following for the best interpretation of this story.

More information on this catalog:

††

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Available from the LA Public Library

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: Leonard’s seeds / Leonard Seed Company (1916) – 6 in a series

Download in Text, PDF, Single Page JPG, TORRENT from Archive.org

LEONARD’S RETAIL CATALOGUE

WE RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

1. That a larger vegetable diet instead of much meat possibly might be of bene- fit to your health and that of your family.

2. Tbat a diet of vegetables is more economical than a meat diet.

3. That the kitchen garden is the surest way of securing fresh vegetables, as the purchased vegetable is most frequently old and inferior.

4. That if you do not plant your yard and care for it, the weeds will grow and become ugly and offensive.

5. That you plant your vegetables in long rows instead of little beds and do without stooping, the work of six hoes with our wheeled garden cultivator.

6. That the work of making a garden is as healthful a physical exercise as golf and as mentally stimulating as chess, the work for ladies and gentlemen.

7. That no house can be complete in its setting without well-kept gardens, lawns and flowers.

8. That no place can possibly be mean that has about it gardens, lawns, and flowers grown from our vegetable, grass and flower seed.

9. THAT THE LEONARD SEED COMPANY ARE SEED GROWERS.

10. THAT THE LEONARD SEED COMPANY SELLS SEED IN BULK ONLY. SEED THAT IS FRESH AND TESTED. THEY DO NOT HANDLE OLD AND RETURNED, COMMISSION SEED.

11. THAT THE PRICE OF LEONARD SEED COMPANY’S BULK SEED IS AS REASONABLE AS GOOD SEED CAN BE SOLD.

12. That you buy at once before some varieties of seed, made scarce by the war and bad climatic conditions, be exhausted.

More information on this catalog:

††

* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs
** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out!
† Available from the LA Public Library