100 Years Ago - Planting the Seeds of Victory

World War I (The War to End All Wars) had stretched food supplies, especially in Europe.  By planting home gardens women were doing their part to help.  I can't believe it never occurred to me to ask my grandmother about that time as she would have been about 30.  

 

Source: Library of Congress

Source: LOC

1886 - Mr. Beyer's Cress

 Hugo Beyer of New London, Iowa is a hard man to track down using old advertisements.  He doesn't seem to have any! (That show up in the usual online search.) 
 I did find one or two articles referring to him and his Upland Cress.  These, and a few other sentences gathered here and there, give me the impression he puffed plants he liked without carefully researching them.  It wasn't flim-flam,  just "enthusiasm" :-)


The 1886 The American Garden: A Monthly Illustrated Journal Devoted to Garden Art reported on his new Upland Cress.

THE UPLAND CRESS.

About New Year's we received a package of leaves from Hugo Beyer of New London, Iowa, which were partly wilted, but still had the semblance of Cress leaves and answered the description sent by Mr. Beyer.  The leaves were unusually large, and of unmistakable Cress flavor. 

Mr. Beyer writes as follows:

“It is in reality a new class of vegetable.   I have named it ‘Upland Cress,‘ as it thrives on any soil, wet or dry, to distinguish it from the Water Cress. Undoubtedly it belongs to the Nasturtiums, as the Water Cress does, and seems to be related to that in shape of leaf and taste. I failed. it seemed new to all. I sent for that purpose a large plant to the American Agriculturist last spring, also seed to Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co., Paris. By a letter received about a month ago they inform me that this plant is new in France.

“ ‘Upland Cress' can be used ten to eleven months out of the twelve, without protection, yielding an immense supply of leaves. It possesses hardiness not equaled by any other. We have had heavy frosts, for some time 5° below zero, then about eight inches of snow, and for about a week thawing in the day and freezing at

night, and how Upland Cress has stood all that, a sample taken from the patch yesterday (Dec. 30th) will best tell you." [Sample above mentioned. En. AM. G.] 

It cannot be expected to be of first quality now, for it is pungent and somewhat tough, yet is still eatable. Chopped fine (stems are good also) and eaten with bread and butter, it does not go so bad.     
Boiled, prepared same as Kale, it is fine, but the first water must be thrown away and the boiling finished in a second, otherwise it would taste bitter. 

The refuse foliage we give to the family cow, and she enjoys it as much as Clover in the summer. As it remains green all winter I don’t see why it might not prove also a valuable forage plant. Our chickens eat it whenever they can get to it, and we notice a large increase in eggs, at a time when our neighbors don't get any.

“When I noticed the valuable qualities of Upland Cress I thought, if generally used, it would prove of special benefit to the poor. Viewing it thus, I did not feel willing to monopolize it, and to give all an opportunity I sent out last spring all the surplus seed I had, gratis, to different seedsmen and customers to aid me in introducing it quickly."

This Cress is said to have originated in Tennessee. It furnishes “greens" two to three weeks earlier than any other outdoor vegetable in Iowa.

The American Garden: A Monthly Illustrated Journal of Horticulture, Sept. 1888

Stray facts and links:

• Land cress, also known as American cress, bank cress, black wood cress, Belle Isle cress, Bermuda cress, early yellowrocket, early wintercress, scurvy cress, creasy greens, and upland cress, is a biennial herb in the family Brassicaceae. Wikipedia
• 
  

Seeds in the Stacks: National Agricultural Library's Video Introduction to Vintage Seed Catalogs

The Biodiversity Heritage Library just sent out their newsletter and it contained a link to this tour behind-the-scenes at the National Agricultural Library.  

Enjoy Seeds in the Stacks!

The text below is supplied by the Biodiversity Heritage Library on their YouTube page.

Go behind-the-scenes at the USDA National Agricultural Library to explore vintage seed and nursery catalogs from the Library's collection of over 200,000 catalogs. 

This video originally aired as a Facebook Live broadcast on 3 November, 2017.

View all of the catalogs featured in Seeds in the Stacks on the Biodiversity Heritage Library at the links below: 

Introduction Catalogs: F.W. Bolgiano & Co., 1902: 

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Wm. Elliott & Sons, 1905: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Currie Bros, Co., 1904: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Portland Seed Co., 1901: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Tuckers’ Seed House, 1923: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...J.M. Philips’ Sons, 1901:http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...Carpenter Seed Co., 1913: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...Samuel Wilson, 1889: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Farmer Seed Co., 1905: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...Farmer Seed Co., 1908: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it.. 

Broadcast Catalogs: William Prince, 1771: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...William Prince, 1830: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...William Robert Prince, 1844: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Joseph Breck & Co., 1838: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Joseph Breck & Sons, 1886: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Joseph Breck & Co., 1840: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...James Vick, 1887: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...James Vick, 1894: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...James Vick, 1889: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Peter Henderson & Co., 1885: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...Peter Henderson & Co., 1886: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Peter Henderson & Co., 1892: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Peter Henderson & Co., 1909: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i... 

Finale Catalogs: J. Bolgiano & Son, 1908: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...W. Atlee Burpee & Co., 1896: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...George A. Weaver Company, 1897: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/it...Samuel Wilson, 1897: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i...Johnson & Stokes, 1895: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/i... Explore More Seed Catalogs in BHL: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/b...

Old Photos to Make You Smile

I was just looking through some old digital photos, thinking I should delete them if I have shared them with you already.   But then I decided, no way!!  I really get pleasure from looking at them again!

Here are two that I like for their pride in the children and the plants.  I think its being -5F. outside now makes them even more attractive!

1896 - Cox's Seed Catalog Lady

I just fell in love with this seed catalog cover image.  She looks like a little wooden doll about to tip over!

1866 - Mr. Beyer, Iowa Seedsman, Wins Big at the Iowa State Fair

Cool!

On a brighter note than the last post about Hugo Beyer, New London, Iowa, this one reports on his wins at the fairs, one for an essay he wrote.

However, this essay was just too, too boring to read so I left 90% out.  Mr. Beyer got $10 prize for writing it though!  The Iowa State Agricultural Fair offered ribbons for the best essays on bees, sheep, hogs, butter dairy and flowers!  

(While I could not find pictures of any vintage fair ribbons for agriculture, there are some wonderful 19th century ribbon photos online.  Chickens seem to have had some elaborate ribbons - who knew?!)

$10 is worth about $145  in today's money if the online reference is correct.

FLOWERS AND THEIR CULTURE.

BY HUGO BEYER.

It is painful for the observer and the admirer of the beautiful to notice that the culture of flowers, which adds so greatly to the appearance and value of property, promote the enjoyment, health and happiness of a family, is so much neglected in the Western States.
...
Those who delight in the pleasant occupation of adorning the home, be it cottage or mansion, with the beautiful of nature, give proof that there dwells intellect, taste, and feeling.
...
The thoughtful parent will assign to their beloved ones, a place where to grow their own flowers and will derive much pleasure by seeing how, with busy hands and eager, childish hearts, they will watch the result. It will aid in shaping the mind for future usefulness. Children will be more obedient, performing other duties with more cheerfulness...
...
History tells us of many interesting incidents. ... Those beautiful things (flowers) sometimes produce surprising wonders upon minds, where least expected. I refer to a case of a most touching nature, which is, perhaps, not so generally known. It occurred during our late deplorable civil war. As the blood-thirsty guerrilla, Quantrell, was outraging humanity in the ill-fated town of Lawrence, in Kansas, neither sparing the aged nor the infants, ruthlessly destroying property, he came, in his wild career, to a residence surrounded with flowers of extraordinary beauty, effecting an impression so charming upon him, that he exclaimed: "This is too pretty to be destroyed" giving, at the same time, orders to leave everything undisturbed, nor have the inmates in the least molested. Flowers saved their lives and property.
...
Flowers occupy a no less high place in family ceremonies. Is not the snow-white myrtle blossom—the symbol of innocence and purity—wreathed in the bride's hair, more effective in solemnizing the event than costly jewels? And as a last tribute to our own departed friends, flowers follow to the grave.
...
1866 - Annual Report of the Iowa State Agricultural Society

Hugo Beyer picked up ribbons at the 1893 Iowa State Agricultural Fair as well.  (Then, as now, firsts through thirds have cash awarded.  I have a friend who aims to earn enough in prizes to pay for her family admission to the Woodstock Agricultural Fair...and she does, with change!)

• First half peck Red tomatoes, three dollars; 
• second three Hubbard squashes, two dollars; 
• first three Nutmeg melons, three dollars, 
• Second display green beans, two dollars,
• First unnamed native plums not less than twelve specimens, eight dollars; 
• first four bunches grapes, most promising new seedling,

($8.00 in 1894 is worth about $220 in 2017, and 2 is $55 ish.) 

1855 to 1905 - Hugo Beyer, Iowa Seedsman Says Farewell

"...too much of a strain and I can bear it no longer."

Hugo Beyer is not an easy seedsman to track down in publications so I have no anecdotes and few  insights into this man.  He seems a hard worker, and he worked as long as he could.

This catalog is not impressive visually, but interesting once read because this catalog is his last, and he writes about his career in the first few pages.  I am just including the covers and his farewell here.

Remember, when he started, Iowa in early 1850s was the frontier, trains from Chicago had not crossed the Mississippi yet!