1932: Berry's Seed Company Catalog - Clarinda, Iowa
Berry's (or Berry) Seed co. of Clarinda Iowa seed catalog of 1932. 48 pages. Printed in blue and black, with order forms, envelopes and supporting materials printed in red and black.
"Hundreds of Blue Ribbon Bargains" and "World's Largest Seed House - Selling Direct to the Farmer" proclaims the front cover.
The president's pitch on the inside cover speaks to the specifics of the Depression year:
I know the farmers are short of money and our prices must be the lowest and our values the best... Seed crops are again short, the Red Clover and Alsike crops being almost a failure in many large producing states. Sweet Clover and Alfalfa are also far below average production. Timothy is a slightly larger crop than the last year when it reached the highest prices known since 1920. In view of these short crops and vast areas of last spring's seedings failing to make a stand, it is only natural to expect a big demand for all kinds of grass seed.
Along with the timothy, clover and alfalfa, there are also sections for soy beans, seed corn, buckwheat, broom corn, oats, speltz [spelt] or emmer, millets, vetches, potatoes, flowers, fruit trees, ornamental shrubs and all manner of garden vegetables.
