Archives of American Gardens
W. Atlee Burpee & Company records
W. Atlee Burpee Company
Burpee, W. Atlee (Washington Atlee), 1858-1915
Burpee, David, 1893-1980
James Vick's Sons (Rochester, N.Y.).
Wm. Henry Maule (Firm)
AAG.BUR
Archival Resource Key
201 Cubic feet
circa 1873-1986
bulk 1890-1930
The W. Atlee Burpee & Company records, dated circa 1873-1986, document the firm's business activities developing plant varieties and marketing and selling seeds. They include accounting records, seed trial records, seed contracts, sales records, inventories, office correspondence, seed catalogs, promotional and instructional materials, advertisements and advertising reports, contest letters, daybooks, photographs, reference materials, and other items relating to the company and some of its competitors.
English
.
Scope and Contents
This collection documents W. Atlee Burpee & Co., a mail-order seed company based in Philadelphia, from its early beginnings in 1876 when its founder, W. Atlee Burpee, started in the agricultural business, to the 1970s when his son, David Burpee, sold the family's then-global company. The collection also includes personal papers of the Burpee family dating back to the mid-nineteenth century.
Business-related content in the collection consists of crop propagation and management records; company correspondence; administrative and personnel records; advertising files; legal papers; property records and plans; reports, studies, and technical data; notes and drafts; files on professional outreach activities and events; trade literature (published by both the Burpee company and a number of its competitors); and awards and certificates received by the company. Significant topics documented in these files include the development of notable flower and vegetable novelties introduced by the company; the impact of World Wars I and II on gardening and the global seed trade; advertising strategies, technology, and innovation; and David Burpee's involvement in the national floral emblem congressional debate.
The Burpee family papers consist of personal files unrelated to the company's business operations. This includes records generated by W. Atlee's father (David Burpee, 1827-1882) and grandfather (Washington L. Atlee, 1808-1878), as well as W. Atlee's wife, Blanche (1863-1948); David Burpee (1893-1980) and his wife, Lois (1912-1984); and W. Atlee Burpee II (1894-1966). There are genealogical surveys conducted on both the Atlee and Burpee families as well as clippings about family members. W. Atlee and David Burpee's series are the most extensive and cover their involvement with numerous clubs and societies such as the Canadian Society of Philadelphia, the Union League of Philadelphia, and, for David Burpee, his involvement with Pearl S. Buck's Welcome House charity. The series include personal correspondence; financial, accounting, and tax records; files generated during vacations; reference material; and will and estate papers.
The Burpee collection also has a large number of images related to the Burpee business and family in a variety of formats including photographs, film and glass plate negatives, and advertisement mock-ups. Other formats include architectural and site plans, original artwork for advertisements, films, cassettes, audio tapes, and ephemera.
Biographical / Historical
Washington Atlee Burpee (1858-1915) began a mail-order poultry and livestock business in 1876 in Philadelpia, which he soon expanded to include corn seed for chicken feed. In 1878, he founded W. Atlee Burpee & Co., the primary focus of which was to sell vegetable, fruit, and flower seeds through the mail. This company would go on to become one of the most notable seed distributors in the United States.
By 1888, Burpee's family home, Fordhook Farms, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, was established as an experimental farm to test and evaluate new varieties of vegetables and flowers, and to produce seeds. Burpee spent many summers traveling throughout the United States and Europe, visiting farms and searching for the best flowers and vegetables; certain plants he found were shipped to Fordhook Farms for testing. Plants that survived were bred with healthier specimens to produce heartier hybrids that were more resistant to disease. Other Burpee trial gardens were established in Lompoc, California and near Swedesboro, New Jersey.
Burpee's son David took over the family business upon his father's death in 1915. At that time, the Burpee Company had 300 employees and was the largest mail order seed company in the world. It distributed over one million catalogs a year and received as many as 10,000 orders a day. In response to food shortages caused by World War I, the Burpee Company helped promote a "war gardens" campaign that evolved into a "victory gardens" campaign during World War II. Both were aimed at city dwellers and instructed them on how to grow vegetables for their own consumption to aid in the war effort.
Sometime in the 1930s, the Burpee Company entered into a business relationship with the James Vick's Company of Rochester, New York. In 1947, Burpee purchased the assets of and rights to the use of the name of the Wm. Henry Maule Co. In 1970, Burpee was sold to General Foods; the corporate headquarters moved from Philadelphia to Warminster, Pennsylvania in 1974. David Burpee remained a consultant for the company until his death in 1981. In 1991, the Burpee Company was acquired by George J. Ball, Inc.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged into six series:
- Series 1: Plant/Farm Related Material
- Series 2: Business Records
- Series 3: Material Published About the Burpee Company
- Series 4: Awards and Certificates
- Series 5: Photographic and A/V Materials
- Series 6: Burpee Family Papers
Processing Information
The collection was originally processed by Marca Woodhams of the Smithsonian Institution Libraries' Horticulture Branch; she generated a box list at that time. Archives of American Gardens' intern Candace Graham developed a finding aid for the collection in 2002. The finding aid was revised by AAG museum specialist Joyce Connolly in 2019 after the collection was re-inventoried.
Related Materials
Burpee seed catalogs donated to the Smithsonian in 1982 by the W. Atlee Burpee Co. can be found in the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives' Trade Literature Collection at the National Museum of American History.
The Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information Photograph Collection in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division includes a series of images of Burpee company operations taken in 1943.
The Black Gold Cooperative Library System's Asian/Pacific - Americans on the Central Coast Collection includes images dated 1933-1939 of Japanese employees of the Burpee Co. working at Floradale Farms in Lompoc, California.
Existence and Location of Copies
Copies of numerous Burpee publications including seed catalogs and trade literature are found in other public repositories and special collections. Many of these publications have been digitized and are available online through the Biodiversity Heritage Library at www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ .
Conditions Governing Access
Access to original archival materials by appointment only. Researcher must submit request for appointment in writing. Certain items may be restricted and not available to researchers. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Conditions Governing Use
Archives of American Gardens encourages the use of its archival materials for non-commercial, educational and personal use under the fair use provision of U.S. copyright law. Use or copyright restrictions may exist. It is incumbent upon the researcher to ascertain copyright status and assume responsibility for usage. All requests for duplication and use must be submitted in writing and approved by Archives of American Gardens. Please direct reference inquiries to the Archives of American Gardens: aag@si.edu.
Preferred Citation
Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Gardens, W. Atlee Burpee & Company Records.
Seed industry and trade
Mail-order business
Gardens -- United States
Business
Agriculture
Horticulture
Advertising
Vegetables
Flowers
Trial gardens
Victory gardens
Contests
Business records
Correspondence
Account books -- 19th century
Account books -- 20th century
Pamphlets
Trade catalogs
Plant/Farm Related Records
Series 1
Archival Resource Key
1881-1955
Scope and Contents
This series contains records that document the Burpee firm's field operations to breed and trial plants for the seed trade as well as acquire stock from other seed companies. Many of the records chart operations at Fordhook Farms, Burpee's base of field operations in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. There are also breeding records for dogs dating from the firm's earliest days when it sold dogs and poultry in addition to seeds.
Crops
1.1
Archival Resource Key
1887-1955
Scope and Contents
Records related to the search for, development, and management of plants grown by the Burpee company. There are also records related to outside growers providing seeds for the Burpee Co., though the majority of these documents are found in Series 2.1.A Company Correspondence and 2.1.B Seed Companies.
Plants
1.1.A
Archival Resource Key
1887-1955
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, plant-specific breeding objectives, novelty plant reports, crop progress and final reports, newspaper clippings, trade literature, photographs, memos, sales and pricing figures, and plant histories related to ornamental and edible plants grown by the Burpee company. The documents were generated mostly by company principals and staff, but material related to outside seed growers and scientists is also present.
Also included are general reports from the various Burpee farms involved in seed trials and cultivation; plant descriptions; records related to novelty plant breeding, X-ray mutations, and hybridization; crop estimates; crop lists; and growing costs.
Bulb Trials
Archival Resource Key
1914-1915
36
Bulb Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1928
1
1
Bulb and Dahlia Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1929-1930
1
2
Bulb Trials
Archival Resource Key
1930-1931
36
Bulb Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931
1
3
Bulb Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931-1932
1
4
Bulb Trials
Archival Resource Key
1933-1934
37
Dahlia Propagation Notes (added to The Nurserymen & Seedsmen Diary & Remembrancer)
Archival Resource Key
1922, 1927
255
1
Dahlia Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1929-1931
1
5
Dahlia Trials
Archival Resource Key
1930-1931
37
Gladioli Selections
Archival Resource Key
1927
21
Sweet Pea Cross Trials
Archival Resource Key
1909-1912
38
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1887
38
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1888
39
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1889
39
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1890
40
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1891
40
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1892
41
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1893
41
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1894
42
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1895
43
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1896
44
Greenhouse Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1897
43
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1898
45
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1899
46
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
3 Notebooks
1900
46
47
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1901
48
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1902
49
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1903
50
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1904
51
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1905
52
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1906
53
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1907
54
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1908
55
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1909
56
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1910
57
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1911
58
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1912
59
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1913
60
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1914
61
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1915
62
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1916
63
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1917
64
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1918
65
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1931
66
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1932
67
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1933
66
Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1935
68
Flower Seed Trial Reports
Archival Resource Key
1934-1935
68
Greenhouse Flower Trials
Archival Resource Key
1954-1955
7
Pea and Bean Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1890
69
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1887
69
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1888
67
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1889
70
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1890
70
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1892
71
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1893
71
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1894
72
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1895
72
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1896
73
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1897
73
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1898
74
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1899
75
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1900
76
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1901
77
78
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1902
79
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1903
80
81
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1904
82
83
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1905
84
85
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1906
86
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1907
87
Vegetable Seed Trials, Annex
Archival Resource Key
1908
88
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1908
89
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1909
88
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1910
90
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1911
91
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1912
92
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1913
93
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1914
94
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1915
95
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1916
96
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1917
97
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1918
98
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1931
98
Vegetable Seed and Burbank 'Treasure Chest' Trials
Archival Resource Key
1931
99
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
circa 1931-1933
100
Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1933
100
Vegetable Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1895
99
Field Trials, Pennsylvania Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
circa 1900-1920
1
6
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1901
101
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1909
101
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1910
108
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1911
102
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1912
102
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1913
103
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1914
104
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1915
105
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1916
106
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1917
107
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
2 Volumes
1918
108
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1919
109
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1920
110
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1921
111
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1922
112
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1923
113
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1924
114
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1925
115
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1926
116
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials from Store
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1926
1
7
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1927
117
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1928
118
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1929
119
Flower and Vegetable Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1930
120
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1908-1909
121
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1910-1911
122
Vine and Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1912
122
Vine, Bulb and Flower Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1913
123
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1914-1916
123
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1917-1918
124
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1919-1921
1
8
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1920-1924
124
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1925-1929
125
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1928-1930
1
9
Vine Seed Trials
Archival Resource Key
1930
125
Estimated Crops for Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1889
1
10
Plant Description Books, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
2 Volumes
1893-1902
127
Crop Book (planting and pick dates, yields)
Archival Resource Key
1894-1895
126
Flower Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1896-1897
126
Flower and Vegetable Crops
Archival Resource Key
1896-1900
121
Flower and Vegetable Seed Crops
Archival Resource Key
1898
121
Crop Vitality Tests
Archival Resource Key
1897-1910
126
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1899
126
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1901
128
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1902
128
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1903
128
Special Selections Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1903-1913
128
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1905
129
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1906
130
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1907
129
Crop Book (planting and pick dates, notes)
Archival Resource Key
1908
131
Crop Book (planting and pick dates, notes)
Archival Resource Key
1909
131
Crop Book (planting and pick dates, notes)
Archival Resource Key
1910
131
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1912-1913
132
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1914
129
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1915-1916
129
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1917
130
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1919
130
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1922-1930
130
Crop Notes for Fordhook and Floradale Farms by George Kerr
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1917-1918
1
11
Test Book
Archival Resource Key
1921
132
Field (Flower) Crops
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1927
1
12
Crops Planted Memo Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931-1932
1
13
Plants for Gardens and Dates Sown
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931-1933
1
14
Seeds Sown
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1932-1933
1
15
Flowers Planted
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1932
1
16
Bulbs, Seeds, Dahlias and Gladiolis Memo Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931
1
17
Memo Book of Crop Notes by John A. Noll
Archival Resource Key
1932
1
18
Qualitative Filter Paper from Arthur H. Thomas Co., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
2 Boxes
circa 1910-1920
6
Plant Finders (Indexes)
1.1.B
Archival Resource Key
1912-1935
Scope and Contents
Notebooks, lists, and reports that list crop names along with their corresponding Burpee plant identification number.
Record of Flower and Vegetable Seed Names and Numbers
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1912-1917
133
Flower Index, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1912
1
19
Flower Index, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1913
1
20
Perennials Finder
Archival Resource Key
1913
English.
2
1
Perennials Index
Archival Resource Key
1913
2
2
Flower Finder
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1914
2
3
Flower and Bulb Seed Indexes
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1915
2
4-5
Flower Seed Index
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1916
2
6
Flower Finder
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1933-1935
133
Flower Trial Finder
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1934
2
7
Greenhouse Trials
Archival Resource Key
1931-1932
2
8
Vegetable Seed Index
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1912
2
9
Vegetable Seed Index
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1913
2
10
Vegetable Seed Index
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1914
2
11
Vegetable Seed Indexes
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1915
2
12-13
Vegetable Seed Index
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1916
2
14
Vegetable Seed Index
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1917
2
15
Vegetable Seed Index
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1929
2
16
Vegetable Seed Indexes
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1931
2
17-18
Vegetable Finders
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1934
2
19
3
1
Vegetable Finder
Archival Resource Key
1935
134
Flower and Vegetable Breeding Index
Archival Resource Key
circa 1935-1937
263
1
Inventories
1.1.C
Archival Resource Key
1881-circa 1940
Scope and Contents
Seed and plant inventories that list seed stock, stock appraisals, reports on seeds thrown out, cleaned seed, and papered (packaged) seeds. Growing lists and inventory policies are also included.
For seed papering cost inventories, see also Series 2.A.d. Financial and Accounting
Farm, Office and Seed Inventory
Archival Resource Key
1881
7
Flower Seed Register
Archival Resource Key
1894
134
Seed Lists
Archival Resource Key
1900-1920
263
2
Crop Book
Archival Resource Key
1911
134
Flower Seed
Archival Resource Key
1914
161
Flower Seed
Archival Resource Key
1915
15
Seed Packets
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1930
146
Flower Seed
Archival Resource Key
1934
15
Flower Seed Inventory Sheets
Archival Resource Key
7 Folders
1938
255
2-8
Flower Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1890-1892
3
2
Flower Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1900
3
3
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
circa 1924-1927
21
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
circa 1930
21
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1925-1928
23
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1926
16
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1926-1927
22
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1927-1928
22
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1928
23
Flower Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1928-1929
24
Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
2 Volumes
circa 1926-1930
160
Flower and Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1896-1905
135
Flower and Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1906-1915
135
Flower and Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1904-1909
136
Flower and Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1916-1922
136
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1883
3
4
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1907-1913
162
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1909-1913
137
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1910
161
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1910-1914
162
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1911-1916
162
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1912
161
Vegetable Seed
Archival Resource Key
1912-1913
15
Vegetable Seed and General Business Inventories and Expenses
Archival Resource Key
1914
161
Vegetable Seed Inventory Sheets
Archival Resource Key
circa 1938
255
9
Vegetable Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
circa 1892
English.
3
5
Vegetable Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1897-1898
3
6
Vegetable Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1899-1900
3
7
Vegetable Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1910-1915
3
8
Vegetable Seed Inventories
Archival Resource Key
1926-1927
15
Vegetable and Grass Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1927
24
Vegetable Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1929
25
Vegetable Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
2 Volumes
1929-1930
25
Vegetable Stock (names, sow dates, growers)
Archival Resource Key
4 Volumes
4 copies with annotations
1936
7
1-4
Bulb Seed Inventories and Growers
Archival Resource Key
1925-1926
16
Gladiolus, Dahlias and Roses Received and Stock Purchased
Archival Resource Key
1931
3
9
Dahlias Received for the Season
Archival Resource Key
1932-1935
3
10
Flower Papering (sheet #s 1500-2238)
Archival Resource Key
1915-1935
147
Flower Papering (sheet #s 2239-3999)
Archival Resource Key
1915-1935
148
Flower Papering
Archival Resource Key
1928
26
Flower Collection Papering
Archival Resource Key
1929-1932
26
Flower Seed Inventories for Papering (Burbank, Vick's, International Paper Co., Sanford)
Archival Resource Key
1932-1935
263
3
Vegetable Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1917-1918
English.
17
Vegetable Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1923
17
Vegetable Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1928
26
Vegetable Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1929-1931
27
Stock Inventory for Papering
Archival Resource Key
1916
163
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1902-1913
137
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1914
27
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1915-1916
27
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1916-1917
27
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1917-1918
28
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1919
28
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1920
28
29
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1921
29
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1922
29
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1924
30
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1924-1925
30
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1925
30
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1926-1927
30
Bulk Stock Requisitions for Seed Order Filling and Papering Departments
Archival Resource Key
15 Files
July-December 1930
263
4-18
Bulk Stock Requisitions for Seed Order Filling and Papering Departments
Archival Resource Key
11 Files
January-May 1931
263
19-29
Bulk Stock Requisitions for Seed Order Filling and Papering Departments
Archival Resource Key
June 1931
264
1
Bulk Stock Requisitions for Seed Order Filling Department
Archival Resource Key
12 Files
February-June 1933
264
2-13
Bulk Stock Requisitions for Seed Order Filling and Papering Departments
Archival Resource Key
7 Files
1934
264
14-20
Bulk Stock Requisitions for Seed Order Filling Department
Archival Resource Key
6 Files
1935
264
21-26
Bulk Stock Requisitions for Seed Order Papering Department
Archival Resource Key
4 Files
1935
264
27-30
Bulb Stock Requisitions for Bulb Order Filling Department
Archival Resource Key
March-June 1933
264
31
Bulb Stock Requisitions for Bulb Order Filling Department
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1935
264
32-34
Cleaned and Sent Out Seeds
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1920
7
Reports on Cleaned and Thrown Out Seeds
Archival Resource Key
1935
265
1
Seed Packages
Archival Resource Key
1923
18
Seed Packet ("Colored Bag") Reports and Lists
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1931-1938
265
2-3
Reports on Returned Stock, Waste Seeds and Bad Stock
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1931-1932
265
4-5
Farm Store (including goods bought and stock received)
Archival Resource Key
1933
7
Returned Stock
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1935
265
6
Livestock (Poultry and Dogs)
1.2
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Notebooks, correspondence, account records, notes, pedigree certificates, and lists related to the company's breeding and sale of livestock. Although a variety of livestock was bred during the company's early years, Scottish Collies were a mainstay of the firm's livestock program. Information regarding the lineage and sale of dogs is routinely represented in these records. The livestock program dwindled after the death of W. Atlee, though files indicate that the breeding of dogs continued into the 1960s.
Livestock Registered Pedigree Form
Archival Resource Key
circa 1880
265
7
Livestock and Eggs Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1889-1891
138
Livestock and Eggs Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1892-1894
138
Livestock and Eggs Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1894-1895
138
Livestock and Eggs Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1906-1910
138
Dog Breeding Records
Archival Resource Key
1888-1897
206
Dog Breeding Records
Archival Resource Key
1899-1905
206
Meat, Egg and Bone Accounts
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1893-1919
137
Livestock Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1901-1911
155
Products
1.3
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, trade literature, and ephemera related to various products sold by the Burpee company in addition to seeds and livestock. The material includes some of the products, along with legal and administrative papers, notes, correspondence, advertisements, and advertisement proofs.
Postcard Series featuring Views of Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
circa 1905-1907
12
Burpee's Vitamin B1 Pellets
Archival Resource Key
circa 1950-1965
265
8
Business Records
Series 2
Archival Resource Key
1873-1980
Scope and Contents
This series contains records that document the business, administrative, marketing, and sales operations of the Burpee firm including correspondence, accounting ledgers, employee records, advertising mock-ups and reports, and records of sales. Early correspondence files document a mix of both business and personal matters relating to the firm's founder W. Atlee Burpee; the latter range from bills and receipts to contributions to a variety of charities. Advertising and promotion records provide insight into the Burpee firm's extensive efforts to market its wares including contests held in the 1920s that resulted in thousands of letters submitted by customers with testimonials celebrating Burpee seeds. Included in these records are unsolicited customer testimonials ("gratis reports"). This series also contains records relating to a number of Burpee properties in the United States where seeds were trialed as well as two seed companies acquired by the Burpee firm, James Vicks Company and Wm. Henry Maule Company.
Office Files
2.1
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Letters from the company to customers, seed companies, and other businesses and persons; financial and accounting records; sales and contracts; and miscellaneous files outlining the history of the Burpee company.
Company Correspondence
2.1.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Correspondence sent on behalf of the W. Atlee Burpee company. The bulk of this material was authored by W. Atlee Burpee or high-level staff members. Most of the files were originally housed chronologically and/or alphabetically in cardboard transfer cases labeled "W. A. Burpee Correspondence," and included both original and carbon copies of receipts, contracts, order inquiries, trade literature, general correspondence, notebooks, and photographs. Correspondents include customers from all over the world, contractors, seed companies, Burpee staff, high-ranking government officials and other "notables," and various outside organizations.
Letterbook (carbon copies of correspondence), Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1889-1896
155
Letterbooks (carbon copies of correspondence), Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1892-1893
156
Letterbooks (carbon copies of correspondence), Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1894-1895
156
Letterbook (carbon copies of correspondence)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1896-1901
157
Letterbook (carbon copies of correspondence)
Archival Resource Key
1901-1911
158
Letterbook (carbon copies of correpondence)
Archival Resource Key
1911-1917
158
Correspondence
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1926
265
9
Business and Personal Correspondence (W. Atlee Burpee and family)
Archival Resource Key
7 Folders
1911
265
10-16
Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence, G-I
Archival Resource Key
5 Folders
1926, 1929
265
17-21
Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence, J-L
Archival Resource Key
5 Folders
1926, 1929
265
22-26
Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence, M
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1926, 1929
265
27-29
Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence, N-R
Archival Resource Key
4 Files
1926, 1929
266
1-4
Incoming and Outgoing Correspondence, S-Y
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1926, 1929
266
5-7
German Trade
Archival Resource Key
1929
266
8
W. L. Lamar
Archival Resource Key
1929
266
9
Lovett's Nursery
Archival Resource Key
1929
266
10
William Henry Maule Co.
Archival Resource Key
1926, 1929
266
11
Correspondence from Friends and Customers
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
12
Relief Seeds, Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
4 Files
1933
266
13-16
Relief Seeds, Rhode Island
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
17
Relief Seeds, South Carolina
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
18
Relief Seeds, Tennessee
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
19
Relief Seeds, Vermont
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
20
Relief Seeds, Virginia
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1933
266
21-22
Relief Seeds, West Virginia
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
23
Relief Seeds, Western States
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
24
Relief Seeds, Wisconsin
Archival Resource Key
1933
266
25
Seed Companies
2.1.B
Archival Resource Key
1892-1930
Scope and Contents
Correspondence and files related to domestic and foreign seed companies, many of which sold seed stock to the Burpee company. Found in this subseries are technical and business correspondence, company histories, clippings, trade literature, travel itineraries, seed packets, notes, financial reports, and legal documents. Also included is correspondence related to surplus seed offers, lists of seed companies, and notebooks that detail price comparisons.
For the bulk of agricultural trade literature, see Series 2.9. Burpee Library and Reference Materials.
Cable Code for Vegetable, Agricultural, Tree and Flower Seeds, Bulbs, Ernest Benary Seed Merchant & Grower, Erfurt, Germany
Archival Resource Key
1 Book
1890
7
Cable Code, Gustav Zulzer, Seed Merchant, Hamburg, Germany
Archival Resource Key
1 Book
1925
7
Seed Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1890
English.
3
11
Seed Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1891-1892
3
12
Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1899
3
13
Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1902-1903
3
14
Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1912-1913
3
15
Seed Inventories and Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1914-1915
3
16
Vegetable Contracts
Archival Resource Key
1929
266
26
Comparative Catalog Prices (with competitors)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1898
267
1
Comparative Catalog Prices (with competitors)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1899
267
2
Comparative Catalog Prices (with competitors)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1900
267
3
Comparative Catalog Prices (with competitors)
Archival Resource Key
1902
267
4
Comparative Catalog Prices (with competitors)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1903
267
5
Burpee's Advance Prices for 1902, Particularly of Vegetable Seeds and Sweet Peas (annotated with competitors' prices)
Archival Resource Key
1901
7
Burpee's Advance Prices for 1903: Vegetable Seeds and Sweet Peas (annotated with Wholesale Seedsmen's League prices)
Archival Resource Key
1902
7
Correspondence with Growers
Archival Resource Key
1933
267
6
Financial and Accounting
2.1.C
Archival Resource Key
1883-1956
Scope and Contents
Records related to the firm's finances including account records, financial statements (yearly and in some cases monthly, weekly, and daily), notes, trial balances, receipts and bills, stock information, supply orders, company-wide appraisals, profit statements, operation and productions costs, and reports and information from financial consultants.
Accounts Book
Archival Resource Key
1889-1896
140
Accounts (expenditures by type)
Archival Resource Key
1893-1914
141
Account Balances, Seeds and Livestock
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1893-1895
3
17
Account Balances, Seeds and Livestock
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1895-1897
3
18
Account Balances, Seeds and Livestock
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1897-1899
3
19
Account Balances, Seeds and Livestock
Archival Resource Key
1898-1900
4
20
Check Payment Account Book (by vendor)
Archival Resource Key
1918-1919
245
Cash Book
Archival Resource Key
1883-1885
140
Cash Book
Archival Resource Key
1885-1886
141
Cash Book
Archival Resource Key
1889-1893
163
Cash Book
Archival Resource Key
1893-1910
141
Cash Book, No. 3
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
198
Cash Book, No. 5
Archival Resource Key
1902-1904
209
Cash Book, No. 6
Archival Resource Key
1904-1906
210
Cash Book, No. 4
Archival Resource Key
1914
211
Cash Book
Archival Resource Key
1916
212
Cash Book, No. 1
Archival Resource Key
1916-1920
213
Cash Book, No. 2
Archival Resource Key
1920-1922
214
Cash Book, No. 3
Archival Resource Key
1922-1924
215
Cash Book, No. 5
Archival Resource Key
1926-1927
216
Cash Book, No. 6
Archival Resource Key
1927-1929
217
Cash Book
Archival Resource Key
1928-1929
218
Cash Book, No. 7
Archival Resource Key
1929-1930
219
Cash Book, No. 8
Archival Resource Key
1930-1931
220
Cash Book, No. 9
Archival Resource Key
1931-1933
221
Cash Book, No. 10
Archival Resource Key
1933-1934
222
Cash Book, No. 11
Archival Resource Key
1934-1935
223
Cash Book, No. 12
Archival Resource Key
1935-1936
224
Cash Book, No. 13
Archival Resource Key
1936-1937
225
Cash Book, No. 14
Archival Resource Key
1937-1938
226
Cash Book, No. 15
Archival Resource Key
1939-1940
227
Cash Book, No. 16
Archival Resource Key
1940-1941
228
Cash Book, No. 17
Archival Resource Key
1941-1942
229
Cash Book, No. 18
Archival Resource Key
1942-1943
230
Cash Book, No. 19
Archival Resource Key
1943-1944
231
Cash Book, No. 20
Archival Resource Key
1944-1945
232
Cash Book, No. 21
Archival Resource Key
1945-1946
233
Cash Book, No. 22
Archival Resource Key
1946-1947
234
Cash Book, No. 23
Archival Resource Key
1947-1948
235
Cash Book, No. 24
Archival Resource Key
1948-1949
236
Cash Book, No. 25
Archival Resource Key
1949-1950
237
Cash Book, No. 26
Archival Resource Key
1950-1951
238
Cash Book, No. 27
Archival Resource Key
1951-1952
239
Cash Book, No. 28
Archival Resource Key
1952-1953
240
Cash Book, No. 29
Archival Resource Key
1953-1954
241
Cash Book, No. 30
Archival Resource Key
1954-1955
242
Cash Book, No. 31
Archival Resource Key
1955-1956
243
Petty Cash Book
Archival Resource Key
1901-1910
141
Petty Cash Book, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1923-1925
4
1
Petty Cash Book, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Ledger
1925-1928
4
2
Cash Account Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1893-1900
162
Business Expense Accounts Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1893-1908
164
Cash Account Ledger, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1890-1894
164
Cash Disbursements Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1918
246
Expenses
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1915-1917
4
3
Expenses
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1919-1922
4
4
Sales and Expenses, Memo Book #1, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1923-1925
English.
4
5
Expenses, Memo Book # 2, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1925
4
6
Expenses, Memo Book # 4, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1928-1930
4
7
Expenses, Memo Book # 5, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1930
4
8
Expenses, Memo Book # 6, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931
4
9
Expenses, Memo Book #7, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931-1934
4
10
Sales and Expenses, Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1926-1929
4
11
Seedsmen's Debits and Credits Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1902-1915
247
Seedsmen's Accounts Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1913
248
Receipt Book
Archival Resource Key
1887-1915
245
Receipts and Check Stubs Book
Archival Resource Key
4 Volumes
1907-1908
6
1
Receipts and Check Stubs Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1908-1910
6
2
Receipts and Check Stubs Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1910-1911
6
3
Receipts and Check Stubs Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1912-1915
6
4
United States Express Company Receipts Book
Archival Resource Key
1913
18
Cash Receipts Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1918
246
Requisitions for Sundry Supplies
Archival Resource Key
February-March 1933
267
7
Requisitions for Sundry Supplies
Archival Resource Key
April-June 1933
267
8
Sales and Contracts
2.1.D
Archival Resource Key
1883-1956
Scope and Contents
Account ledgers, correspondence, contracts, bills of sale and receipts, sales quotations, financial statements, notes, returned seed slips, memos, and sales meeting minutes. Included are yearly sales summaries for Burpee's and its subsidiaries, records of sales made at flower shows, administrative papers pertaining to Burpee's sales department, and sales reports for crops. Also included are dozens of bound Burpee catalogs (ca. 1896-1967) containing annotated sales figures.
Customer Log #1 (by city): Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
165
Customer Log #2 (by city): Connecticut, Dakota, Delaware, D.C., Florida, Georgia, Idaho
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
165
Customer Log #3 (by city): Illinois
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
165
Customer Log #4 (by city): Illinois, Indiana
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
165
Customer Log #5 (by city): Indiana, Iowa
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
165
Customer Log #6 (by city): Iowa, Kansas
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
166
Customer Log #7 (by city): Kansas
Archival Resource Key
2 Volumes
circa 1885-1888
166
Customer Log #8 (by city): Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
166
Customer Log #9 (by city): Massachusetts, Michigan
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
166
Customer Log #10 (by city): Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
166
Customer Log [#11] (by city): Missouri
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
167
Customer Log #12 (by city): Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
167
Customer Log #13 (by city): New Jersey, New Mexico, New York
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
167
Customer Log #14 (by city): New York, North Carolina, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
167
Customer Log #[15] (by city): Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia
Archival Resource Key
circa 1885-1888
167
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office, softcover): Dakota Territory
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
168
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office, softcover): Florida
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
168
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office, softcover): Iowa
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
168
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office, softcover): Kansas
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1885-1888
168
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office, softcover): Maryland
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
168
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office, softcover): Michigan
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
168
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office, softcover): West Virginia
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
168
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Alabama
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
169
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Arizona, Delaware, District of Columbia, Idaho, Indian Territory, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington Territory, Wyoming Territory
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1885-1888
169
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Colorado
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
170
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Florida
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
170
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Georgia
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
170
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Iowa
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
171
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Kansas
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
171
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Kentucky
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
172
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Maryland
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
172
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Michigan
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
173
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Minnesota
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
173
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): North Carolina
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
174
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): South Carolina
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
174
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Tennessee
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
175
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Virginia
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
176
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): West Virginia
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
175
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Wisconsin
Archival Resource Key
1885-1888
176
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Canada
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1885-1888
177
Customer Order Log
Archival Resource Key
1887
142
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Alabama
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
178
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): California
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
179
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Colorado
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
180
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Connecticut
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
180
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Delaware, D.C., Oregon, Rhode Island
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
181
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Georgia
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
182
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Illinois
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
183
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Indiana
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
184
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Iowa
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
185
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Kansas
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
186
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Minnesota
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
187
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Nevada, New Mexico Territory, Utah, Wyoming
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
188
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
189
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): North Carolina
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
190
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Ohio
Archival Resource Key
2 Notebooks
1896-1899
191
192
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Wisconsin
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
193
Customer/Sales Log (by Post Office): Canada
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
195
Comparative Account of Farm Annual Sales by State
Archival Resource Key
1896-1899
267
9
Customer Register, Fordhook Farm
Archival Resource Key
1896-1916
142
Burpee's Farm Annual (with sales annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1901
7
Burpee's Farm Annual (with sales annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1902
7
Goods Shipped to and Billed from Store
Archival Resource Key
1901-1910
143
Congressional Free Seed Distribution Form Letter
Archival Resource Key
1906
267
10
Sales of Packets and Ounces of Vegetables and Flowers
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1903-1908
146
Sales of Packets and Ounces of Vegetables and Flowers
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1919-1925
146
Packets and Sales Records for Children's Gardens
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
circa 1915-1925
143
Sales and Expenses, Castle Valley Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1923-1928
4
12
Sales and Expenses, Castle Valley Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1926
4
13
Sales of Sundries
Archival Resource Key
1934-1935
267
11
Sales Register Slips
Archival Resource Key
1934-1935
267
12
Federal Government Contract Bids
Archival Resource Key
12 Folders
1936-1937
267
13-24
Sales from Sweet Pea Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
1937-1938
143
Flower Novelty Sales from Burpee Annuals
Archival Resource Key
1938-1939
143
Sales Comparison Results Relating to Increase in Packet Prices
Archival Resource Key
1935-1936
143
Reports on Store Shipments, Sales and Returns
Archival Resource Key
5 Folders
1936-1937, 1939-1940
267
25-29
Company History
2.1.E
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
General files containing information about the firm's history documented in clippings, correspondence, personnel information, ephemera, and trade literature. Also included is a booklet on the firm's history published by the Burpee company in 1996.
Fact Book about Burpee Co. on its 25th Anniversary
Archival Resource Key
1901-1909
31
Administrative Records
2.2
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Records related to the structure, organization, and running of the company's business operations. The series includes administrative and policy files; papers related to merger opportunities, administrative consultants, and the sale of the company to General Foods Corporation in 1970; and personnel and employment files.
General Administrative Files
2.2.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Reports, clippings, correspondence, memos, and policies related to operations, the firm's record keeping systems, insurance, and special company projects (including Burpee Garden Centers). Also included is Burpee stationery and forms that were used for both external and in-house purposes.
Postal Information
Archival Resource Key
5 Folders
1920-1931
267
30-34
Order Slips (for seeds, vitality tests, supplies)
Archival Resource Key
10 Folders
1933-1938
268
1-10
Office Stationery
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1955
261
8
Invoice Book (blank)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1915-1930
7
Office Forms
Archival Resource Key
circa 1915-1935
267
35
Advertising Record Forms (printing details)
Archival Resource Key
1919-1924, 1926
267
36
Seed Inventory Books
Archival Resource Key
8 Volumes
circa 1920-1930
149
150
Personnel
2.2.B
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Staff files, papers generated or compiled by company staff, and hiring records.
Company Staff
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Files and material generated by principals of the firm. Found in this subseries are W. Atlee Burpee's notes and drafts, his instructions to the company following a life-threatening condition in 1894, notebooks, addresses and lectures, and his "Superb Six" letter--a meeting he conducted with six principals of the company in the final months of his life. David Burpee's files include business and general notes, correspondence, speeches and writings, and general subject files compiled from 1961 to 1974.
Additional personnel files are found elsewhere in the collection, particularly in cases where a staff member's files directly related to a particular topic such as advertising.
W. Atlee Burpee Notebook
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
circa 1898-1901
4
14
W. Atlee Burpee Notebook
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1908-1909
4
15
W. Atlee Burpee Notebook
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1911-1913
4
16
W. Atlee Burpee Notebook
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1914
4
17
Daily Journal by Howard M. Earl
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1896
4
18
Personnel Material
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Files, clippings, and photographs associated with company personnel. Items include salary records, workers' compensation files, injury reports, ephemera from Burpee/Maule company picnics at Fordhook Farms, and issues of Burpee News (the company's in-house bulletin, 1968-1971).
Payroll Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1916-1917
199
Employees' Daily Reports
Archival Resource Key
1932
268
11
Weekly Time Reports
Archival Resource Key
7 Folders
July-December 1937
268
13-19
Article Reprint, "Inheritance of Doubleness in Flowers of the Nasturtium" from Journal of Heredity
Archival Resource Key
Burpee, David, 1893-1980
Eyster, William H. (William Henry), 1889-
1936
268
12
Burpee News
Archival Resource Key
1971
268
20
Advertising and Promotions
2.3
Archival Resource Key
1873-1980
Scope and Contents
Files and images related to Burpee's extensive advertising and marketing efforts. Included are correspondence, records, and reports generated by publishers, advertising agencies, and Burpee advertising staff; ad mock-ups, proofs and graphics; papers related to promotional and publicity campaigns, and premium seed offers; and customer correspondence and testimonials.
Records and Reports
2.3.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, reports, studies, costs, clippings, advertising schedules, and listed returns from the company's advertising efforts and catalog sales.
Seed Prices in Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
1901
267
37
Advertising Returns Ledger
Archival Resource Key
1913-1930
34
Advertising Reports
Archival Resource Key
14 Files
1914-1928
256
1-14
Advertising Reports
Archival Resource Key
1917-1925
143
Advertising Reports
Archival Resource Key
9 Files
1925, 1925-1928, 1926, 1927, 1928
257
1-9
Monthly Advertising Expenses
Archival Resource Key
circa 1919-1921
267
38
Post Cards Orders (printing details)
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1920-1925, 1927-1928
267
39-40
Ordering Information for Order Forms
Archival Resource Key
1920-1928
267
41
Order Acknowledgement Cards (printing details)
Archival Resource Key
1927
267
42
Instructional Leaflets, Lists and Ordering Information
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1921-1927
267
43-45
Advertising Schedules
Archival Resource Key
1923, 1924
257
10
Credit Slips in Exchange for Ad Space
Archival Resource Key
13 Files
1923-1926
269
1-13
Billing Statements for Printing and Artwork
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1923-1927
269
14-16
Advertising Analyses
Archival Resource Key
1926
269
17
Home Acres Magazine
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
18
Harry S. Hood, Photographer
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
19
Horticulture Illustrated
Archival Resource Key
1926
269
20
Horticulture Magazine
Archival Resource Key
1928-1929
269
21
Jefferson County Truck Growers' Association
Archival Resource Key
1926, 1929
269
22
George W. Kerr
Archival Resource Key
1926, 1929
269
23
Edward Langer Printing Co.
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
24
Market Growers Journal
Archival Resource Key
1926, 1929
269
25
J. Horace McFarland Company
Archival Resource Key
1926
269
26
The McMillan Company
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
27
The Photo-Illustrators
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
28
Rotoprint Gravure Co., Inc.
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
29
Seed Trade News
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
30
Seed World
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
31
Southern Florist
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
32
Yarnall Studios
Archival Resource Key
1929
269
33
Catalog Distribution
Archival Resource Key
1932-1933, 1954-1955
269
34
Dates of Catalog Covers and Pages (Burpee and Maule)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1933
4
19
Advertising Reports for Burpee's Annuals (Merchandise Sales)
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1933, 1935
257
11-12
Advertising Reports for Burpee's Annuals
Archival Resource Key
10 Folders
1936-1940, 1943
258
1-10
Advertising Reports for Burpee's Annuals
Archival Resource Key
4 Files
1944-1946
259
1-4
Advertising Reports for Blue List
Archival Resource Key
1938-1940
259
5
Advertising Reports for Fall Bulb Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
10 Files
1935-1940
259
6-11
Spring Advertising Report
Archival Resource Key
1942
259
12
Spring Advertising
Archival Resource Key
1944
259
13
Receiving Slips for Catalogs and Postcards
Archival Resource Key
1954
269
35
Loading Tally Forms for Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
1954
269
36
Catalogs Mailed from Buffalo
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1954
259
14
Catalogs Mailed from Kokomo
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1954
259
15
Catalog Delivery and Mailing Schedule
Archival Resource Key
1954
269
37
Catalog Mailing and Shipment Inventories
Archival Resource Key
8 Files
1954-1955
269
38-39
270
1-6
Catalog Requests
Archival Resource Key
1954-1956
270
7
Non-metered Mail Statements for Catalog Shipments
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1954-1955
270
8-9
Miscellaneous Catalog Figures
Archival Resource Key
circa 1954-1978
270
10
Burpee's Catalog Shipment Figures
Archival Resource Key
1955
270
11
Advertising Comparisons with Burpee Competitors
Archival Resource Key
1963
270
12
Correspondence and Reports
Archival Resource Key
1967-1968
270
13
Spring Advertising Reports
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1967-1968, 1968
270
14-16
Ad Copy, Graphics, Mock-ups and Proofs
2.3.B
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Text and graphics used in the creation of Burpee catalogs and advertisements; flower and vegetable illustrations and photographs; written drafts by W. Atlee Burpee; page proofs; ad mock-ups; and ephemera including printing blocks, metal printing plates, and pieces of printing type. (A number of the photographic images come from non-Burpee sources; therefore, third party copyright issues may apply.)
Burpee's Seed Catalog Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1897
31
Plant Graphics
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1915
270
17
Watercolor Illustrations (juvenalia)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1920
267
51
Plant Description Copybook
Archival Resource Key
1901-1915
159
Ad Copy, Crop Notes and Customer Testimonials
Archival Resource Key
7 Files
1912-1913
270
18-24
Burpee's Annual Proof, Cover, Inserts and Additions
Archival Resource Key
4 Folders
photocopy of historic proof
1916
275
1-4
Burpee's Annual Mock-up ("Layout of first Burpee Annual not planned by WAB")
Archival Resource Key
1917
32
Burpee's Annual Garden Book Mock-up (F. K. Jamison)
Archival Resource Key
1936
32
Burpee's Catalog Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1937
33
Burpee's Catalog Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1938
34
Burpee's Catalog Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1939
35
Burpee's Catalog Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1943
200
Burpee's Catalog Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1953
200
Burpee's Farm Annual (with annotatations)
Archival Resource Key
1902
7
Instructional Leaflets (manuscripts, proofs, and printing details)
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
circa 1904-1918
275
35-36
Burpee's Farm Annual (with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1906
7
Burpee's Farm Annual (bound copy for Howard M. Earl with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1907
7
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for Howard M. Earl with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1912
7
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for Howard M. Earl)
Archival Resource Key
1913
7
Burpee's Annual for 1917 (with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1917
7
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for G. W. Kerr with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1926
7
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for Eugene W. Buch with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1934
8
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for John Mundry with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1945
8
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for Elizabeth M. Woods with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1949
8
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for Elizabeth Woods with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1954
8
Burpee's Catalog of Garden and Household Gadgets, Tools and Supplies (with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1942-1960
8
Progressive Graphics and Catalog Page Proofs from Intaglio Service Corp.
Archival Resource Key
1940-1942
244
Progressive Graphics and Catalog Page Proofs from Philadelphia-Weeks Engraving Company
Archival Resource Key
1940-1942
151
Ad Mock-ups and Proofs for Fall Garden Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
1966-1967
154
Ad Proofs
Archival Resource Key
circa 1940-1960
152
Ad Designs Submitted (original artwork)
Archival Resource Key
1930
English.
270
25
Ad Mock-ups
Archival Resource Key
circa 1940-1960
197
Ad Mock-ups
Archival Resource Key
circa 1940-1960
277
16
Ad Mock-ups and Proofs
Archival Resource Key
circa 1950-1960
244
Ad Mock-ups
Archival Resource Key
circa 1940-1965
201
Ad Mock-ups
Archival Resource Key
circa 1935-1965
194
Seed Packet Mock-ups (original artwork)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1950-1960
270
26
"Plan for Next Winter" Canning Ad
Archival Resource Key
circa 1942-1965
194
Burpee Ad Banner
Archival Resource Key
circa 1975-1985
259
16
Customer Testimonials and Contest Letters
2.3.C
Archival Resource Key
1907-1925
Scope and Contents
A major component of the Burpee firm's business centered around advertising which often highlighted customer testimonials. The bulk of this subseries are letters from Burpee customers responding to three contests held by the Burpee Co. in 1924 and 1925. Two of the contests addressed the question 'What Burpee Seeds Have Done for Me' while the third centered around testimonials relating to Burpee tomato seeds. A number of the letters include photographs sent in by the contestants.
Arrangement
Most of the contest letters were assigned a number by the Burpee Co. as a way of tracking them. The contest letters are generally arranged in letter number order with gaps in the sequences. though there are gaps in the number sequences.
"Burpee seeds on Lanmar Farm" in Hollister, Massachusetts
Archival Resource Key
1 Album
album includes typewritten manuscript and photographs
1907
285
What Burpee Seeds Have Done for Me Contest
Archival Resource Key
1924
Contest Letters, #681-758
Archival Resource Key
1924
270
29
Contest Letters, #681-758
Contest Letters, #3760-3794
Archival Resource Key
1924
270
30
Contest Letters, #3760-3794
Contest Letters, #3796-3824
Archival Resource Key
1924
271
1
Contest Letters, #3796-3824
Contest Letters, #3825-3872
Archival Resource Key
1924
271
2
Contest Letters, #3825-3872
Contest Letters, #3874-3912
Archival Resource Key
1924
271
3
Contest Letters, #3874-3912
Contest Letters, #3913-3969
Archival Resource Key
1924
271
4
Contest Letters, #3913-3969
Contest Letters, #3971-3999
Archival Resource Key
1924
271
5
Contest Letters, #3971-3999
Contest Letters, unnumbered
Archival Resource Key
1924
271
6
Contest Letters, unnumbered
Contest Letters, #4000-4035
Archival Resource Key
1924
271
7
Contest Letters, #4000-4035
Contest Letters #4037-4085
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
8
Contest Letters #4037-4085
Contest Letters #4087-4108
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
9
Contest Letters #4087-4108
Contest Letters #4109-4129
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
10
Contest Letters #4131-4157
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
11
Contest Letters #4131-4157
Contest Letters #4160-4289
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
12
Contest Letters #4160-4289
Contest Letters #4201-4221
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
13
Contest Letters #4201-4221
Contest Letters #4223-4254
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
14
Contest Letters #4223-4254
Contest Letters #4255-4288
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
15
Contest Letters #4255-4288
Contest Letters #4290-4314
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
16
Contest Letters #4315-4338
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
17
Contest Letters #4315-4338
Contest Letters #4339-4362
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
18
Contest Letters #4364-4384
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
19
Contest Letters #4364-4384
Contest Letters #4385-4399
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
20
Contest Letters #4385-4399
Contest Letters #4401-4431
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
21
Contest Letters #4401-4431
Contest Letters #4437-4480
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
22
Contest Letters #4437-4480
Contest Letters #4483-4518
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
23
Contest Letters #4483-4518
Contest Letters #4520-4568
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
24
Contest Letters #4520-4568
Contest Letters #4569-4599
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
25
Contest Letters #4569-4599
Contest Letters #4601-4626
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
26
Contest Letters #4601-4626
Contest Letters #4629-4679
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
27
Contest Letters #4629-4679
Contest Letters #4681-4724, UL1-UL3
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
28
Contest Letters #4681-4724, UL1-UL3
Contest Letters #738-Letter extracts
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
29
Contest Letters #738-Letter extracts
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 1-663
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
30
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 1-663
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 666-3927
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
31
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 666-3927
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 3945-4272
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
271
32
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 3945-4272
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 4237-4472
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
272
1
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 4237-4472
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 4243-4727
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
272
2
Contest Letters (non-prize winners), 4243-4727
Tomato Prize Contest
Archival Resource Key
4 Files
1924
Contest Letters #4728-4770
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
272
3
Contest Letters #4726-4748
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
272
4
Contest Letters #4726-4748
Contest Letters, 4723-4800
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
272
5
Contest Letters, 4723-4800
Contest Letters #0059-4803; CH Boyer and RA Adams
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1924
272
6
Contest Letters #0059-4803; CH Boyer and RA Adams
"What Burpee Seeds Have Done for Me" Contest
Archival Resource Key
13 Folders
1925
Contest Letters #0013-2109
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
7
Contest Letters #0013-2109
Contest Letters #0004-2093
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
8
Contest Letters #0004-2093
Contest Letters #0036-0197
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
9
Contest Letters #0036-0197
Contest Letters #113-1329
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
10
Contest Letters #113-1329
Contest Letters #0133-2109
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
11
Contest Letters #0133-2109
Contest Letters #0001-0131
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
12
Contest Letters #0001-0131
Contest Letters #0130-0208
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
13
Contest Letters #0130-0208
Contest Letters #1112-1193
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
14
Contest Letters #1112-1193
Contest Letters #1203-1267
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
15
Contest Letters #1203-1267
Contest Letters #1268-1349
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
16
Contest Letters #1268-1349
Contest Letters #1353-1439
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
17
Contest Letters #1353-1439
Contest Letters #1194-1476
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
18
Contest Letters #1194-1476
Contest Letters #2001-2113
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1925
272
19
Contest Letters #2001-2113
Legal Matters
2.4
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, legal documents, patent and trademark applications, plans, legislative acts, land agreements, and papers from Burpee's legal counsel. Notable topics include W. Atlee Burpee's original partnership with Gustavus S. Benson (1876 to 1878); the controversy and lawsuit surrounding Henry A. Dreer's Bush Lima; land and zoning issues between the state of Pennsylvania and the Burpee company; and the acquisition of rights to Luther Burbank's property—both intellectual and real.
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1893-1894
272
20
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1897-1899
272
21
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1900-1901
272
22
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1902-1903
272
23
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1904
272
24
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1905
272
25
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1906
272
26
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1907
272
27
Burpee Copyright Registrations
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1908
272
28
Burpee Properties
2.5
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Land agreements, correspondence, contracts, reports and plans generated by consulting companies, employee lists, clippings, photographs, and memos related to the firm's various branches and properties. The records primarily document physical and logistical aspects of the properties, but administrative, sale, and seed production information are also found in some of the files. For records directly related to the growing of seeds at various Burpee farms, see Series 1 Plant/Farm Related Material.
Fordhook Farms
2.5.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
The company's first office building was located at 223 Church Street in Philadelphia. It then relocated to 475-477 North Fifth Street in 1883. In 1888, W. Atlee purchased the original acreage of what would ultimately be named "Fordhook Farms" in Doylestown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 25 miles north of Philadelphia. The company added warehouse space to its Philadelphia operations in 1898. In 1936, the company moved its headquarters to Hunting Park Avenue and Eighteenth Street in Philadelphia.
Plans and specifications, correspondence, photographs, and reports. Included are employee lists and salary information, legal documents and design plans pertaining to land condemnations and alterations, and property appraisals. Also included are reports for soil and water testing done at Fordhook in the 1970s. In addition to Fordhook files, this series contains land deeds and correspondence related to a number of farms in the surrounding area that were leased by the firm for additional farm acreage.
Established in 1888 as the company's experiment and production grounds, Fordhook Farms also included the family home of W. Atlee and Blanche Burpee, which later became the home of David and Lois Burpee. The home currently serves as a bed and breakfast under the name The Inn at Fordhook Farm.
Record Book of Fordhook Novelties and Facts about the Seed Trade
Archival Resource Key
1902-1921
33
Receiving Book (goods shipped, accounts, work log)
Archival Resource Key
1903-1913
159
Notes on Household Expenses and List of Visitors
Archival Resource Key
circa 1905
270
27
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1907
5
1
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1908
5
2
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1909
5
3
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1910
5
4
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1916
5
5
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1918
5
6
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1925
5
7
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1926
5
8
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1927
5
9
Daily Farm Journal (notes, weather, work log, employees)
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1928
5
10
Daybook
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1931
144
Burpee Subsidiaries
2.6
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
The Burpee company involved itself with the acquisition of three seed companies between 1878 and 1970 when it was sold to General Foods Corporation: William Henry Maule Company, James Vick's Seeds, Inc., and the Luther Burbank Seed Company.
While the majority of Burpee subsidiaries' records are found in this series, additional papers are scattered throughout the collection, particularly in Series 2.A.d Business Records/Office Files/Financial and Accounting and Series 2.C Business Records/Advertising. For the offers and interests Burpee had with other companies, see also Series 2.B.d. Burpee Co. Merger Offers and Sale.
Luther Burbank Seed Company
Archival Resource Key
Burbank Seeds, The Luther Burbank Experiment Farms, Santa Rosa, California
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
1926-1927
12
Wm. Henry Maule Co.
2.6.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
William Henry Maule was a lifelong friend and early business partner of W. Atlee Burpee. He became involved with Benson, Burpee & Co. in 1877 and then continued his partnership with Benson (Benson, Maule & Co.) until embarking on a business under his own name in 1885. Early records related to the Maule Company include trade catalogs; clippings; the book, How to Make the Garden Pay by T. Greiner, published by Maule; and photographs. Also included is W. Atlee Burpee's published tribute to Maule after his death in 1913. For more papers related to William Henry Maule, see Series 2.A.a Company Correspondence.
After 1926, the materials include financial reports, annotated catalogs, correspondence, trade literature, and inventories. The Burpee firm purchased the assets of Maule's in 1926, and then incorporated it in 1927. In 1947, Burpee's officially merged with the William Henry Maule Company.
Surplus Seeds Wanted
Archival Resource Key
1885
8
Seed Number List
Archival Resource Key
2 Volumes
circa 1920-1930
272
29-30
Seed Packet, Form, and Envelope
Archival Resource Key
circa 1925-1935
272
31
Flower Seed Collections Papering Inventory
Archival Resource Key
2 Volumes
1929, 1930
272
32-33
Seed Papering
Archival Resource Key
1929-1930
31
Seed Papering Inventory
Archival Resource Key
1931-1932
273
2
Flower Stock Ledger Inventory Sheets
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1930-1933
249
1-3
Vegetable Papering Inventory
Archival Resource Key
1926-1935
153
Vegetable Seed Collection Papering Inventory
Archival Resource Key
1929-1930
273
1
Vegetable Stock Ledger Inventory Sheets
Archival Resource Key
3 Files
1930-1933
250
1-3
Seed Collections Inventories
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1935-1936
260
1
Flower and Vegetable Inventories
Archival Resource Key
1936, 1937
260
2-3
Flower Seed Orders from W. Atlee Burpee Company
Archival Resource Key
1929-1932
144
Merchandise Sales of Varieties on Catalog Covers
Archival Resource Key
1931-1937
260
4
Easy Payment Sales
Archival Resource Key
1933-1935
260
4
Merchandise Sales by Variety with Catalog Space and Cost
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1937-1939
260
4-5
Order Totals by Date
Archival Resource Key
1939-1943
273
3
List of Seed Collections
Archival Resource Key
1938
273
4
List of Seed Collections (with copy of Maule's Seed Book)
Archival Resource Key
1944
273
5
Advertising Reports, Seed Books
Archival Resource Key
circa 1928-1931
260
6
Advertising Reports, Fall Bulb Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
1928-1931
260
7
Advertising Report, Summary of Offers, Seed Book
Archival Resource Key
1934-1937
261
1
Advertising Reports, Seed Book
Archival Resource Key
6 Folders
1935-1940, 1943-1947
261
1-6
Maule's Seed Book Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
202
Maule's Seed Book Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1934
202
Maule's Seed Book Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1936
203
Maule's Seed Book Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1942
203
Maule's Seed Book Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1943
203
Ad Proof
Archival Resource Key
circa 1940-1960
152
Ad Proofs
Archival Resource Key
1 Binder
ads pasted into loose leaf binder
1940
253
6
Publication Advertising (copies of ads)
Archival Resource Key
6 Volumes
6 Copies
1941-1946
273
6-8
Maule's Seed Catalogue
Archival Resource Key
1900
273
9
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1917
273
10
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for Louis A. Venai)
Archival Resource Key
1928
251
1
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for Samuel G. Tatem annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
1929
251
2
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for Samuel G. Tatem)
Archival Resource Key
1931
251
3
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for Evelyn Bergey with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1931
251
4
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
1931
251
5
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
1932
251
6
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for A. Putz with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1932
251
7
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for Siegfried Putz with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1934
252
1
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
1935
252
2
Maule's Seed Book (including bound copy for Harry Schmidt annotated with plant comparisons between Burpee and Vick)
Archival Resource Key
1935
252
3
Maule's Seed Book (bound copies for 'Sales')
Archival Resource Key
1936
252
4
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for Siegfried Putz with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1936
252
5
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for A. Kinmonth with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1938
253
1
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for George P. Feehrer with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1940
253
2
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for 'Sales')
Archival Resource Key
1941
253
3
Maule's Seed Book (bound copies for E. W. Buch and A. Kinmonth with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1941
253
4
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for A. Kinmonth with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1942
253
5
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for E. W. Buch with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1942
254
1
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for 'Sales')
Archival Resource Key
1943
254
2
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for E.W. Buch with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1943
254
3
Maule's Seed Book (bound copies for E. W. Buch and A. Kinmonth with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
2 Trade catalogs
1944
254
4
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for A. J. Kinmonth with annotations)
Archival Resource Key
1945
254
5
Maule's Seed Book (bound copy for 'Sales')
Archival Resource Key
1945
254
6
Maule's Seed Catalog
Archival Resource Key
1947
273
11
James Vick's Co.
2.6.B
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Board meeting minutes, correspondence, trade literature, financial statements, notes, and the legal proceedings of the Burpee company's acquisition of James Vick's Seeds, Inc. of Rochester, New York.
Vick's Catalog - Wholesale List of Bulbs
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890-1920
8
Vick's Catalog - Vick's Illustrated Floral Guide (bound copy in English and German)
Archival Resource Key
1873
8
Vick's Catalog - Vick's Farmer's Handbook
Archival Resource Key
1902
8
Vick's Catalog - Semillas de Vick (in Spanish)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1920
8
Vick's Catalog (bound copy annotated with advertising notes)
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
1906
273
12
Vick's Catalog (bound copy annotated with advertising notes)
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
1909
273
13
Vick's Catalog (bound copy annotated with advertising notes)
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
1915
273
14
Vick's Catalog (bound copy annotated with advertising notes)
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
1916
273
15
Vick's Catalog (bound copy annotated with advertising notes)
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
1918
273
16
Vick's Catalog (bound copy annotated with advertising notes)
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
1919
273
17
Seed Packets, Order Form and Envelope
Archival Resource Key
circa 1915-1940
273
18
Stamp Refunds
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1932
8
Catalog Mailing Record
Archival Resource Key
1931
8
Fall Ads in Magazines and Newspapers
Archival Resource Key
1931
273
19
Post Office Information
Archival Resource Key
1931-1934
273
20
Freight Receipts
Archival Resource Key
1932-1935
273
21
Telegrams and Express Receipts
Archival Resource Key
1932-1935
English.
273
22
COD Receipts
Archival Resource Key
1932-1935
273
23
Shipping Forms, A [Loss], No. 14
Archival Resource Key
1932-1935
273
24
Nursery Permits
Archival Resource Key
1933-1934
273
25
Spring Catalog Prices
Archival Resource Key
1933-1934
273
26
Flower and Vegetable Index
Archival Resource Key
1933
English.
273
27
Seed Sales and Papering Notes
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1934-1935
273
28-29
Bulb and Seed Inventories
Archival Resource Key
1935
273
30
Correspondence (correspondents include Buch, Burpee, Cherry, Dietrick, Flager, Frankl, Jamison, Lawson, Maule, Schley, Schmidt, Schroeder, Simpson, Whiteside)
Archival Resource Key
13 Files
circa 1930-1935
273
31-35
274
1-8
Vick's Agents
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
1935-1936
274
9-10
Aster Book Flower Prices
Archival Resource Key
1937
274
11
D.O. Lists [Direct Offers?]
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
274
12
Advertising Reports
Archival Resource Key
1931-1932
274
13
Advertising Reports
Archival Resource Key
1933-1934
274
14
Advertising Reports
Archival Resource Key
1935-1936
274
15
Correspondence, Flagler Advertising, Inc.
Archival Resource Key
1933-1935
English.
274
16
Correspondence, Burpee and Maule
Archival Resource Key
1934-1935
English.
274
17
Sales Reports
Archival Resource Key
1934
274
18
Fall Bulb Orders
Archival Resource Key
1934
274
19
Vick's Garden and Floral Guide (bound copies for "Sales" annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1934
274
20-21
Vick's Garden and Floral Guide (bound copies for "Sales" and "Claire Schley" annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1935
274
22-23
Vick's Garden and Floral Guide (bound copies for "Sales" annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1936
274
24-25
Vick's Garden and Floral Guide (bound copy for "Sales" annotated with sales data)
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1937
8
Vick's Garden & Floral Guide Mock-up
Archival Resource Key
1936
198
Marketing Letter
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1950
274
26
Professional Activities and Outreach
2.7
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Records related to Burpee company events, trips, and advocacy campaigns, as well as papers related to professional organizations, governments, and individuals involved with the horticultural trade business.
Professional Organizations
2.7.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Trade literature, photographs, event invitations and programs, press releases, clippings, correspondence, notes, ephemera, and meeting minutes relating to numerous organizations. The Burpee firm was an active member of most of the organizations represented, although for some the relationship is not apparent. Organizations include the Agricultural Hall of Fame, American Garden Foundation and the National Garden Institute, American Horticultural Congress, American Horticultural Society, American Seed Trade Association, Association for National Advertisers, programs for the beautification of Washington, D.C., Marigold Society of America, National Council on Business Mail, the National Farm School (now Delaware Valley University) in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, National Sweet Pea Society, Royal Horticultural Society, and the Wholesale Seed Merchants' League.
See Series 1 Plant/Farm Related Material for trial and crop lists related to All-America Selections, an organization that held yearly competitions for new and never-before-sold plant varieties.
American Seed Trade Association, Year Book and Proceedings of 65th Annual Convention
Archival Resource Key
1948
8
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1909
8
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1912
8
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1913
8
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1914
8
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1916
8
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1917
8
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
6 Volumes
1918
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1919
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1920
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1922
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1924
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1925
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
9 Volumes
1927
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1930
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1932
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1933
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1934
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1935
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1936
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1937
9
National Sweet Pea Society, The Sweet Pea Annual
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1939
9
Wholesale Seedsmen's League's Draft Resolution for Wm. Henry Maule by W. Atlee Burpee
Archival Resource Key
1913
274
27
Events
2.7.B
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Records related to flower shows the company designed exhibits for, "previews" the firm hosted to promote new flower varieties, and events held at Fordhook Farms. Files include programs, invitations, correspondence, clippings, some sales and expense reports, event itineraries, ephemera from Fordhook Farms flower identification contests, and photographs.
Flower Shows
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Records include programs and brochures, invitations, correspondence, articles and newspaper clippings, some sales and expense reports, and event itineraries.
For papers related to flower show sales see Series 2.1.D Sales and Contracts.
Schedule of Prizes Offered by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (lists Burpee prizes offered)
Archival Resource Key
1896
9
Premiums (Burpee prizes offered and awarded in shows)
Archival Resource Key
1919-1922
267
46
Premiums (Burpee prizes offered and awarded in shows)
Archival Resource Key
1923-1927
267
47
Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Records related to events W. Atlee and David Burpee held at Fordhook Farms for professional purposes. Included are printed material; correspondence, reports, and clippings from the Symposium of Horticulture in China held at Fordhook in 1945; announcements, course materials, and photographs from an American Management Association Management Course hosted at Fordhook; and ephemera such as maps and visitor guides.
Address List (for unknown event)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1915
267
48
Daffodil Days Program
Archival Resource Key
1954
267
49
Materials Published by the Burpee Company
2.8
Archival Resource Key
1873-1978
Scope and Contents
Printed matter published by the Burpee company for its customers including catalogs, notices, special offer lists, order forms, and instructional materials.
Catalogs
2.8.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Included are copies of the company's annual and seasonal catalogs, Red and Blue Lists (wholesale and market-gardener catalogs, respectively), and catalog mailing envelopes. From 1879 to 1909 the title of the catalog was Burpee's Farm Annual. The name was changed for one year to Burpee's New Annual, and then to Burpee's Annual until 1929 (company staff refers to the annual as "B.A." throughout the collection). In the early 1930s the catalog was titled Burpee's Garden Book, and then in 1935 changed to Burpee Seeds. In the late 1960s the title was changed to Burpee Seeds and Everything for the Garden.
This series does not contain a complete run of all Burpee seed catalogs.
Burpee's Novelties & Specialties for 1887 (no cover)
Archival Resource Key
1887
274
28
Burpee's Farm Annual (front and back covers)
Archival Resource Key
1892
274
29
Burpee's Farm Annual
Archival Resource Key
1896
9
Burpee's Unique List of the Best Seeds That Grow
Archival Resource Key
1898
9
Burpee's Prize Supplement
Archival Resource Key
5 Copies
1904
9
Burpee's Advance Prices for 1905
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1904
9
Collie Catalogue Supplement
Archival Resource Key
1906
9
Burpee's New Annual (bound copy for Howard M. Earl)
Archival Resource Key
1910
9
Burpee's Annual and Catalogs (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1911-1912
9
Burpee's Wholesale Catalog
Archival Resource Key
1911
9
Burpee's Annual (bound copy for A. E. Brown)
Archival Resource Key
1912
9
Burpee's Annuals and Catalogs (bound copies)
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
2 bound copies of Burpee Annuals and catalogs
1913-1914
10
Burpee's New Edition of 35th Anniversary Supplement
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
one copy lacks a cover
1915
10
Supplement, The "Silent Salesman's" Assistant: An Aid to Burpee's Annual
Archival Resource Key
1915
10
Burpee's Annuals and Catalogs (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1915-1916
10
Forty Years of Burpee Service, Fortieth Anniversary Supplement, 1876-1916
Archival Resource Key
1916
10
Burpee's Seeds that Grow Blue List
Archival Resource Key
3 Copies
1916
10
Wholesale Catalog, Red List
Archival Resource Key
5 Copies
1916
10
Burpee's Fall Bulb Catalog (bound copy for Kerr)
Archival Resource Key
1923
10
Burpee's Fall Bulbs
Archival Resource Key
1925
10
Burpee's Sweet Peas and Other Flower Seeds
Archival Resource Key
1 Trade catalog
2 copies
1925
10
Contract Prices for Burpee's Sweet Peas and Other Flower Seeds
Archival Resource Key
1925
10
Burpee's Annual
Archival Resource Key
1926
10
Burpee's Bulbs for Fall Planting
Archival Resource Key
1926
10
Burpee's Catalogs (bound copy for S. G. Tatem)
Archival Resource Key
1926-1927
10
Burpee's Annuals and Catalog (bound copy for Wm. F Fell Co.)
Archival Resource Key
1929-1930
10
Burpee's Annual and Catalogs (bound copy for S. G. Tatem)
Archival Resource Key
1930
11
Burpee's Annual and Catalogs (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1931
11
Burpee's Bulbs for Fall Planting
Archival Resource Key
2 Copies
1931
11
Burpee's Bulbs for Fall Planting
Archival Resource Key
3 Copies
1933
11
Burpee's Annual Garden Book
Archival Resource Key
3 Copies
1936
11
Burpee's Bulbs for Fall Planting
Archival Resource Key
1939
11
Burpee's Catalogs (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1941-1944
11
Burpee's Catalogs (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1945-1948
11
Burpee's Catalogs (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1949-1952
11
Burpee's Catalogs (bound copy)
Archival Resource Key
1953-1956
11
Burpee's Seeds
Archival Resource Key
1954
11
Burpee's Red List
Archival Resource Key
1972
11
Catalog Covers (Burpee, Vicks, Maule and competitors)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1935
275
5
Catalog Illustrations (loose)
Archival Resource Key
1906-1917
11
Sales Flyers, Price Lists and Order Forms
Archival Resource Key
circa 1902-1955
261
7
Miscellaneous Envelopes
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1955
261
8
Notices, Lists, Order Forms, etc.
2.8.B
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Various mailing cards, notices, circulars, and order forms distributed to Burpee customers. Included are notices for specific seed collections; remittance notices; promotional fliers for varieties; supplements; out of stock notices; complaint acknowledgement cards; and post cards.
Wholesale Order Forms
Archival Resource Key
circa 1904
275
6
Wholesale Price Lists & Order Forms
Archival Resource Key
2 Files
circa 1915-1935
261
9-10
Leaflet, Burpee's Dollar Box of Vegetables
Archival Resource Key
circa 1915-1930
275
7
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1894-1897
275
8
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1903-1905
275
9
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1906
275
10
Postcard, An Invitation for You Massachusetts
Archival Resource Key
4 Copies
1906
11
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1907
275
11
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc. (includes post cards of Fordhook Farms)
Archival Resource Key
1908
275
12
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1909
275
13
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1910-1911
275
14
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1912-1913
275
15
Children's Gardens Order Form
Archival Resource Key
circa 1913-1915
275
16
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1914-1915
275
17
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1916
275
18
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
1917
275
19
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc. (includes garden plans)
Archival Resource Key
1917-1919
275
20
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc. (includes garden plans)
Archival Resource Key
1920-1921
275
21
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1940
275
22
Wholesale Price Lists
Archival Resource Key
1935
261
11
Wholesale Price Lists
Archival Resource Key
1937
261
12
Sales flyers, leaflets, inserts, envelopes, order forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
circa 1945-1965
275
23
Miscellaneous Forms (printing details)
Archival Resource Key
1919-1920
275
25
Notices (printing details)
Archival Resource Key
1921-1931
275
26
New Address Card (printing details)
Archival Resource Key
1927
275
27
Tulips at the Burpee Show Gardens Order Sheet
Archival Resource Key
1929
275
28
Postcards for Ordering Catalogs
Archival Resource Key
1929-1930
261
29
Form Letters to Seed Dealers and Customers
Archival Resource Key
1931, 1938
275
30
Subsistence Gardens
Archival Resource Key
1936
275
31
Victory Garden Order Forms
Archival Resource Key
circa 1918-1945
275
32
Plastic Bag with Burpee Logo
Archival Resource Key
circa 1976-1980
275
33
Instructional Materials
2.8.C
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
"How-to" manuals and other material published by the company on a variety of agricultural topics including garden and lawn care, pest control, flower and vegetable culture, manure manufacturing, and cookbooks.
Flowers for Every Home
Archival Resource Key
Darlington, E. D.
4 Booklets
4 editions
6 copies in total
1910, 1911, 1914, 1915
11
Sweet Peas Up-To-Date
Archival Resource Key
2 Booklets
2 editions
5 copies
1910, 1913
11
Sweet Peas Up To Date: With a Complete Description of All Known Varieties, Including Novelties for 1914
Archival Resource Key
Kerr, G. W.
2 Booklets
2 editions
4 copies in total
1914, 1917
11
Burpee's Vest-Pocket Guide to Culture of Flowers
Archival Resource Key
3 Booklets
3 editions
6 copies in total
1912, 1914, 1918
12
1
Burpee's Vest-Pocket Guide to Culture of Vegetables
Archival Resource Key
1 Booklet
2 copies
1918
12
2
Cabbage and Cauliflower for Profit (no cover)
Archival Resource Key
Lupton, J. M.
1912
12
The Food Value of Fresh Vegetables
Archival Resource Key
Leffmann, Henry, 1847-1930
3 Booklets
3 editions
10 copies in total
1914
12
Vegetables for the Home Garden. Rev. Ed.
Archival Resource Key
1914
12
Best Ways to Cook Fresh Vegetables
Archival Resource Key
Scott, Anna B. Storck, 1856-
1 Booklet
7 copies
1915
12
The Poultry Yard: How to Furnish and Manage It, 14th edition
Archival Resource Key
Burpee, W. Atlee (Washington Atlee), 1858-1915
1896
12
Root Crops for Stock Feeding (no cover)
Archival Resource Key
1912
12
Small Gardens for Small Folks
Archival Resource Key
Fullerton, Edith Loring
2 Booklets
2 editions
6 copies in total
1912, 1916
275
34
Helpful Guide for Planting
Archival Resource Key
Hartung, A. J.
1 Booklet
1927
12
Instructional Leaflets
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
circa 1900-1931
12
Instructional Leaflet Manuscripts
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1921
275
37
Growing Tips and Information for Lawns
Archival Resource Key
circa 1950-1960
275
24
Instructional Leaflets, Growing Tips and Information
Archival Resource Key
circa 1970-1979
275
38
Ads
2.8.D
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Burpee advertisements that were published in various newspapers and magazines. Some of the ads were clipped from publications, while other publications featuring Burpee ads were kept intact.
Ads in Publications, The Outlook, Vol. 67, No. 8
Archival Resource Key
1 Magazines (periodicals)
February 23, 1901
12
Ads in Publications, The Outlook, Vol. 67, No. 10
Archival Resource Key
1 Magazines (periodicals)
March 9, 1901
12
Ads in Publications, Doylestown High School Yearbook, "The Torch"
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1929
275
40
Ads in Publications, Doylestown High School Yearbook, "The Torch"
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1943
275
41
Ads in Publications, Doylestown High School Yearbook, "The Torch"
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1944
275
42
Ads in Publications, The National Sweet Pea Society, Schedule of Prizes for Exhibitions
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1931
12
Ads in Publications, The National Sweet Pea Society, Schedule of Prizes for Exhibitions
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1932
12
Ads in Publications, Seed Trade Buyers Guide & Directory, Seed World, Chicago, Illinois
Archival Resource Key
1938
12
Ads in Newspapers, Baltimore Sun - New York Herald Tribune
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
19
Ads in Newspapers, New York Herald Tribune - Pittsburgh Press
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
20
Ads in Newspapers, A - K
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
204
Ads in Newspapers, L - R
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
205
Ads in Newspapers, S - W
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
206
Ads in Miscellaneous Publications
Archival Resource Key
1893
275
39
Advertising Copy for Spring (copies of ads)
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1935
196
Advertising Copy for Fall (copies of ads)
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1935
196
Advertising Copy for Spring (copies of ads)
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1936
196
Advertising Copy for Fall (copies of ads)
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1936
195
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Catalog Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1937
207
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1938
275
43
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1939
275
44
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1940
276
1
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1941
276
1
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1942
276
2
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1943
276
2
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1944
276
3
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Fall Bulb Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1945
276
3
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Seed Catalog Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1938
207
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Seed Catalog Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1939
207
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Seed Catalog Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1940
207
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Seed Catalog Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1942
207
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Seed Catalog Campaign
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1943
207
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Wholesale and Foreign Campaigns
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1938-1939
208
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Wholesale and Foreign Campaigns
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1940-1941
208
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Wholesale and Foreign Campaigns
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1941-1942
208
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Wholesale and Foreign Campaigns
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1942-1943
208
Publication Advertising for Burpee's Wholesale and Foreign Campaigns
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1943-1944
208
Ad for Come=Pakt Planned Garden
Archival Resource Key
circa 1950-1960
276
4
Seed Packets
2.8.E
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
An assortment of Burpee seed packets, ranging from late-nineteenth-century examples lacking images to packets with colorfully photographed images distributed in the 1970s.
Assorted Burpee seed packets are also found in various files throughout the collection.
Seed Packets
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1915
276
5
Seed Packets
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1896-1907
276
6
Seed Packets
Archival Resource Key
1 Folder
1908-1915
276
7
Seed Packets
Archival Resource Key
1916-1921
276
8
Color Seed Packets
Archival Resource Key
circa 1925-1950
276
9
Binder of Seed Packets (front of packets)
Archival Resource Key
1 Binder
packets pasted onto sheets in 3-ring binder
circa 1930-1945
276
10
Color Seed Packets with Ordering Annotations
Archival Resource Key
2 Folders
circa 1934-1945
276
11-12
Sheets of Seed Packets Labels (back of packets)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1940-1950
150
Burpee Library/Reference Materials
2.9
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Printed material that was collected by the firm for general reference purposes. Topics covered by this material include trade literature; business, advertising, and gardening publications; and agricultural and scientific journals.
Competitors' Catalogs and Trade Literature
2.9.A
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Catalogs, notices and circulars, envelopes, cable code books, ephemera, bulletins, and miscellaneous publications generated by Burpee's competitors. This subseries also contains articles written about some of Burpee's competitors.
Barnard's Seeds, The W. W. Barnard Co., Chicago, Illinois
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1930
12
Popular Seeds & Bulbs for Fall Planting, L.R. Benedict, Ellenville, New York
Archival Resource Key
1894
12
Catalogue of Popular Seeds, Bulbs, Plants, L.R. Benedict, Ellenville, New York
Archival Resource Key
1896
12
Bloodgood Nurseries, Flushing, New York
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
12
Bobbink & Atkins' Nursery Book, Rutherford, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
12
Trees, Plants, Planting, Breck-Robinson Nursery Co., Lexington, Massachusetts
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1930
276
13
Garden Guide for 1967, Burgess Seed & Plant Co., Galesburg, Michigan
Archival Resource Key
1967
276
13
Clark's Seeds, O. W. Clark & Son, Buffalo, New York
Archival Resource Key
circa 1895-1920
276
13
Catalogue and Price-List of Fruits and Ornamentals for the World's Fair Year, Coe & Converse, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin
Archival Resource Key
1880-1900
12
Descriptive Catalog of Vegetables, Keystone Seeds, Corneli Seed Company, Saint Louis, Missouri
Archival Resource Key
circa 1943-1948
12
The Glory of the Garden, Arthur Cowee, Meadowvale Farms, Berlin, New York
Archival Resource Key
1914
276
13
Fruits, Trees, Flowers and Seeds, Drumm Seed and Floral Co., Fort Worth, Texas
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1920
276
13
Trees, Shrubs and Plants, The Elizabeth Nursery Co., Elizabeth, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
276
14
Gorgeous Dutch Bulbs and Other Glen Nursery Specials for Autumn Planting, Glen Bros., Inc., Rochester, New York
Archival Resource Key
circa 1929
12
Flowers from Seed, S.Y. Haines & Co., Minneapolis, Minnesota
Archival Resource Key
1900
12
Seeds 1896: Get the Best and Grow it Well, Harman and Son, South Bend, Indiana
Archival Resource Key
1896
12
Henderson's Midsummer Catalogue, Peter Henderson & Co., New York
Archival Resource Key
1905
12
Henderson's Garden Guide and Record, Peter Henderson & Co., New York
Archival Resource Key
1912
12
Descriptive Catalogue, Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Grape Vines, Small Fruits, Shrubs, Roses, Plants, Etc., W. T. Hood & Co., Richmond, Virginia
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920
12
Jackson's Quality Brand Seeds, O. P. Jackson Seed Co., Inc., Houston, Texas
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
12
Johnson & Stokes Garden & Farm Manuals, Johnson & Stokes, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
2 Trade catalogs
1901, 1902
12
Landreths' November Wholesale List (For Merchants Only), David Landreth & Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
1899
276
14
Catalogue of the Litson Nursery, Nevada, Missouri
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1920
12
Livingston's Seasonable Gardening Suggestions, Livingston Seed Co., Columbus, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
1910
12
Catalog, L. L. May & Co., Saint Paul, Minnesota
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
276
14
Meehans' Special Offer of Trees, Shrubs and Hardy Garden Flowers, Thomas Meehan & Sons, Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1930
12
Catalog of Roses, Chrysanthemums and Flowering Plants, Memphis Floral Company, Memphis, Tennessee
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890-1910
276
14
Catalog, Mount Desert Nurseries, Bar Harbor, Maine
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
276
14
Strawberry Manual, Mount Hope Nurseries, Lawrence, Kansas
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1920
12
Catalog, Mount Hope Nurseries, Lawrence, Kansas
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1930
12
The O'Brien Aquatic Gardens: Water Lillies, Aquatic Plants and Ornamental Fishes, Wm. G. O'Brien & Son, Independence, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
circa 1930-1940
12
Park's Floral Magazine, George W. Park, Libonia
Archival Resource Key
1896
12
Catalog, Park Valley Farms and Evergreen Nurseries, Prospectville, Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1930
12
Seeds of Rare Plants, Rex D. Pearce, Merchantville, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
circa 1900-1920
12
Seeds for the Garden Farm and Field, Plant Seed Company, St. Louis, Missouri
Archival Resource Key
1898
12
Pure & Sure Seeds, Plant Seed Co., St. Louis, Missouri
Archival Resource Key
1902
12
Hardy Perennials for California Gardens, Carl Purdy, Ukiah, California
Archival Resource Key
1917
12
Catalog, Julius Roehrs Co., Rutherford, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1925
12
Catalogue, Lewis Roesch, Fredonia, New York
Archival Resource Key
1898
12
Glorious Days in Your Garden, Max Schling Seedsmen, Inc., New York, New York
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1950
12
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Pages fused together due to water damage. Catalog may not be fully accessible as a result.
Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees, Shrubs, Bulbs, Etc., Sherman Nursery Company, Charles City, Iowa
Archival Resource Key
1911-1912
12
Descriptive Catalogue and Price List of Pedigree Seed Potatoes, Choice Strawberry Plants, Etc., Somerset Fruit Farm and Nurseries, John W. Hall, Marion Station, Somerset Co., Maryland
Archival Resource Key
1896
12
Catalog, Steele's Pomona Nurseries, Palmyra, New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1930
12
Catalog, The Storrs and Harrison Co., Painesville Nurseries, Painesville, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1930
12
Landscaping the Home Grounds, The Storrs & Harrison Co., Painesville,Ohio
Archival Resource Key
1927
12
The Children's Flower Mission, School Garden Department of The Templin-Bradley Co., Cleveland, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1928
12
Trees, Plants and Shrubs: Where to Get Them, What They Cost, Utah Nursery Co., Salt Lake City, Utah
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
12
Seeds and Sundries, Wayside Gardens, Mentor, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1940
276
15
Descriptive Catalogue of the Willadean Nurseries, Sparta, Kentucky
Archival Resource Key
circa 1917-1935
12
Trade Catalogue of Flower and Garden Seeds Offered by Dippe Brothers, Seed Growers and Merchants,1896/97, Dippe Brothers, Quedlinburg, Germany
Archival Resource Key
1896
276
16
Catalog and Competitor's Guide (cover and mounted photo), Dobbie & Co., Edinburgh, Scotland
Archival Resource Key
1915
276
16
Seeds That Will Make Your Garden Beautiful, Samuel Dobie & Son, Chester, England
Archival Resource Key
1939
12
Seed Catalogue, Robert Evans & Co., Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Archival Resource Key
1900
276
16
Sluis & Groot's Wholesale Pricelist, Netherlands
Archival Resource Key
1923
12
Page from seed catalog (handwriting on verso), Stenger & Rotter, Enfurt, Germany
Archival Resource Key
1902
12
Vilmorin's Descriptive List, Vilmorin-Andrieux, Paris, France
Archival Resource Key
circa 1950
12
Miscellaneous Brochures, Order Forms, etc.
Archival Resource Key
circa 1896-1960
276
17
Seed Packets
Archival Resource Key
circa 1870-1900
276
18
Log of Seed Catalogs Received from Burpee Competitors
Archival Resource Key
1899-1905
145
Log of Seed Catalogs Received from Burpee Competitors
Archival Resource Key
1908-1920
145
List of Competitors' Catalogs on File
Archival Resource Key
1921
276
19
Agricultural Reference
2.9.B
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Home, garden, agricultural, and lifestyle publications; technical essays and journals covering plant science, propagation, and pests; and books on a variety of agricultural topics.
An Old Gardener, The Practical American Gardener
Archival Resource Key
1 Book
1819
6
Index to Articles in Magazines (plant names)
Archival Resource Key
1894
77
American Gardening, Some Reasons Why People Value American Gardening
Archival Resource Key
1896
12
Chromolithographs of Bulbs by Jos-Pe Kleurenfoto, Arnhem, Holland
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
circa 1905-1920
153
All About Sweet Peas
Archival Resource Key
Sydenham, Robert, 1848-1913
1907
13
Book About Sweet Peas
Archival Resource Key
Wright, Walter P. (Walter Page), 1864-1940
Headley Brothers (Firm)
1909
14
The Sweet Pea Notebook, (Varieties Only)
Archival Resource Key
Wright, Walter P. (Walter Page), 1864-1940
3 Booklets
3 editions
1911, 1912, 1913
14
Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station of the College of Agriculture Bulletins
Archival Resource Key
Cornell University Press
6 Issues (object groupings)
1912-1914
13
The Perpetual Flowering Carnation Society, The Carnation Year Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Book
1913
13
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Experiment Station Records
Archival Resource Key
11 Scholarly periodicals
1914, 1916
14
Home Vegetable Gardening
Archival Resource Key
Rockwell, F. F. (Frederick Frye), 1884-1976
1 Book
4 copies
1918
13
Parsons, Samuel Jr., How to Plan the Home Grounds
Archival Resource Key
1 Book
4 copies
1919
13
If Inflation Comes: What You Can Do About It
Archival Resource Key
Babson, Roger Ward, 1875-1967
1 Book
1937
13
Pest Information on Gladiolus Thrips (USDA Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine)
Archival Resource Key
1941
276
20
The Royal Horticulture Society, London, The Lily Year Book
Archival Resource Key
1 Book
1947
13
The American Home, "Portraits of Petunias"
Archival Resource Key
May 1962
262
1
Business Reference
2.9.C
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Publications, trade literature, and leaflets relating to business, advertising, and financial topics.
Business Incorporation Information from Corporation Trust Company of New Jersey
Archival Resource Key
circa 1902
14
The American Academy of Political and Social Science, Prison Labor: The Annals, Vol. XLVI
Archival Resource Key
1 Book
March 1913
14
The Postal Bulletin
Archival Resource Key
7 Folders
1923-1930
262
2-8
Association of National Advertisers, Inc. (reports, analyses, bulletins, membership lists, speeches, form letter)
Archival Resource Key
9 Folders
1928-1930
276
21-29
Materials Published about the Burpee Company
Series 3
Archival Resource Key
circa 1870-1978
Scope and Contents
Records related to books and articles written by outside authors—published or not—that showcase or briefly mention the W. Atlee Burpee company.
Articles
3.1
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, drafts, and final copies of articles written about the Burpee company. Included are newspapers and magazines containing Burpee articles, stories clipped from publications, and copied or transcribed articles as well as files that document communications between the company and horticultural and garden writers.
Scrapbook of Burpee Clippings Compiled at Floradale Farms
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
circa 1890-1920
145
Lompoc (Lompoc Valley Chamber of Commerce brochure)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910
270
28
The American Magazine, "Turnips or Tulips, Which Are You Planting"
Archival Resource Key
Waldron, Webb, 1882-1945
March 1933
276
30
"Crown of Gold Marigold" (reprint from Christian Herald)
Archival Resource Key
circa February 1937
276
31
Miscellaneous Articles (reprints)
Archival Resource Key
1937, 1959
276
32
Sunset (magazine)
Archival Resource Key
January 1938
276
33
Awards and Certificates
Series 4
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1977
Scope and Contents
This series includes awards and certificates bestowed on the Burpee firm for various plant varieties it developed and for regional and national exhibits.
List of Medals Awarded to Burpee Company
Archival Resource Key
1900-1925
267
50
Scottish National Sweet Pea, Rose, and Carnation Society, Annuals (listing Burpee awards)
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1931-1932
14
Scottish National Sweet Pea, Rose, and Carnation Society, Annual (listing Burpee awards)
Archival Resource Key
1 Volume
1934-1935
14
Scottish National Sweet Pea, Rose, and Carnation Society, Seventh Annual (listing Burpee awards)
Archival Resource Key
1935-1936
14
Photographic and A/V Materials
Series 5
Archival Resource Key
circa 1894-1930
Scope and Contents
This series includes photographic images of the Burpee firm's field operations and close-up portraits of the plant varieties it sold. Some of the images come from the James Vicks Company of Rochester, New York which Burpee acquired in the 1930s. The image formats range from glass plate negatives and cyanotypes to black and white photographs. There are also a small number of films, some of which were put out by the National Garden Bureau.
Photographic images can also be found in Series 2: Business and Administrative Records, Advertising and Promotions subseries. Some contest letters and testimonials are accompanied by photographs submitted by Burpee customers.
Images
5.1
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Image formats range from glass plate negatives, film negatives, and transparencies to photographs and 35mm slides.
Farm Operations
Archival Resource Key
Petunia (?) Hybrida Grandiflora Scarlet Beauty,
Archival Resource Key
1 Negatives (photographic)
circa 1930-1940
279
Petunia (?) Hybrida Grandiflora Scarlet Beauty,
Salforgorois
Archival Resource Key
3 Glass plate negatives
circa 1920
281
Salforgorois
Sweet Peas
Archival Resource Key
10 Autochromes (photographs)
circa 1920-1930
281
Sweet Peas
Sweet Peas, Early Large Rosy Cerise
Archival Resource Key
1 Negatives (photographic)
April 1936
279
Sweet Peas, Early Large Rosy Cerise
Tulips
Archival Resource Key
5 Autochromes (photographs)
circa 1920-1930
281
Tulips
Assorted Flowers
Archival Resource Key
10 Autochromes (photographs)
circa 1920-1930
280
281
283
Assorted Flowers
Assorted Flowers
Archival Resource Key
28 Glass positives
circa 1920-1935
281
Assorted Flowers
Tomato, Burpee's Gold
Archival Resource Key
2 Negatives (photographic)
circa 1930-1940
279
Tomato, Burpee's Gold
Assorted Vegetables
Archival Resource Key
4 Glass plate negatives
circa 1920-1925
280
282
Assorted Vegetables
Assorted Vegetables
Archival Resource Key
7 Glass positives
circa 1920-1935
281
Assorted Vegetables
Burpee Farm Operations and Plants
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890-1930
278
Collies at Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
circa 1890-1910
278
Burpee Farm and Office Operations, Seed Trials, Plants and Collies
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
cyanotypes
1894-1910
286
Collies at Fordhook Farms (cyanotypes)
Archival Resource Key
2 Cyanotypes (photographic prints)
circa 1900-1915
285
Burpee Farm Operations, Seed Trials, Plants and Special Events
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
photographs and cyanotypes
1902-1924
287
Fordhook Farms, Cultivating Crops
Archival Resource Key
1 Photographic print
Mounted
July 1907
285
Vegetables and Flowers
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph album
photographs and cyanotypes
1911-1914
284
Trial Grounds (presumably Burpee)
Archival Resource Key
6 Glass plate negatives
circa 1920
280
Trial Grounds (presumably Burpee)
Burpee farm operations and David Burpee in California
Archival Resource Key
circa 1920-1940
278
Floradale Farms, David Burpee and Bill Hoag with Red and Gold Hybrid Marigolds
Archival Resource Key
4 Negatives (photographic)
4 Photographic prints
circa 1930-1940
279
Floradale Farms, David Burpee and Bill Hoag with Red and Gold Hybrid Marigolds
California Trial Fields, David Burpee with Marigolds
Archival Resource Key
5 Negatives (photographic)
circa 1930-1940
279
California Trial Fields, David Burpee with Marigolds
Business and Office Operations
Archival Resource Key
Burpee Office Operations
Archival Resource Key
1 Photographic print
Mounted
circa 1900-1910
285
Seed Testing Department
Archival Resource Key
1 Glass plate negative
1920
280
Seed Testing Department
General
W. Atlee Burpee Company employed many women. Some did administrative tasks like filling seed orders and keeping records. Others wrote handbooks on topics like cooking and teaching children to garden. Burpee also hired women to work in applied sciences, helping to develop and test new plant varieties.
Ad Mock-up, Carrot
Archival Resource Key
1 Glass plate negative
circa 1920-1930
281
Ad Mock-up, Carrot
Nasturtium for Copyright
Archival Resource Key
1 Negatives (photographic)
several copy prints in Box 278
circa 1920-1940
279
278
Nasturtium for Copyright
New Nameless Tomato ("Triumph") from Arnold Elvers, Warren Co., Mason, Ohio
Archival Resource Key
1 Photographic print
Mounted
October 11, 1909
285
Ross Garden (unidentified location)
Archival Resource Key
5 Glass plate negatives
circa 1910-1920
281
283
Ross Garden (unidentified location)
Unidentified Garden
Archival Resource Key
1 Negatives (photographic)
circa 1920-1930
279
Unidentified Garden
Publicity and Public Relations
Archival Resource Key
Horticultural Displays at County Fairs
Archival Resource Key
18 Photographic prints
Mounted
1900-1914
285
Children (Jane and Bud Bonner) with Basket of Vegetables
Archival Resource Key
3 Glass plate negatives
1920
280
Children (Jane and Bud Bonner) with Basket of Vegetables
Marigold Collarette Crown of Gold
Archival Resource Key
11 Negatives (photographic)
circa 1930-1940
279
Marigold Collarette Crown of Gold
Assorted Marigolds
Archival Resource Key
30 Negatives (photographic)
several copy prints in Box 278
circa 1930-1940
279
278
Assorted Marigolds
Burpee Company Properties
Archival Resource Key
View of Philadelphia (possibly photographed from top of Burpee headquarters)
Archival Resource Key
1 Photograph
circa 1910-1930
278
Aerial View of Fordhook Farms
Archival Resource Key
Aero Service Corp
1 Photograph
black and white
circa 1920-1950
Photograph is rolled tightly and requires conservation measures before it can be unrolled to be viewed.
425
Burpee Subsidiaries
Archival Resource Key
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Barley
Archival Resource Key
1 Glass plate negative
August 1920
280
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Barley
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Field of Early Wonder White Dent Corn
Archival Resource Key
1 Glass plate negative
September 1919
280
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Field of Early Wonder White Dent Corn
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Pop Corn
Archival Resource Key
3 Glass plate negatives
circa 1920
280
281
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Pop Corn
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Oats
Archival Resource Key
6 Glass plate negatives
circa 1920
280
281
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Oats
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Tomatoes
Archival Resource Key
3 Glass plate negatives
circa 1920
280
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Tomatoes
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Turnips
Archival Resource Key
1 Glass plate negative
circa 1920
280
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Turnips
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Falls of the Genesee River, Rochester, New York
Archival Resource Key
4 Glass plate negatives
1921
280
James Vick's Seeds, Inc., Falls of the Genesee River, Rochester, New York
Professional Outreach and Awards
Archival Resource Key
Lawn Displays in front of Agricultural Building, Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Portland, Oregon
Archival Resource Key
Butzer, J. J.
3 Photographic prints
Mounted
1905
278
Burpee Christmas Event for Children
Archival Resource Key
4 Glass plate negatives
circa 1915-1930
282
Burpee Christmas Event for Children
Burpee Christmas Event for Children
Archival Resource Key
3 Photographs
black and white; duplicate photographic prints
circa 1915-1930
Photographs are rolled tightly together and require conservation measures before they can be unrolled to be viewed.
425
National Sweet Pea Society, Gold Medal Awarded to Messrs. T. Cullen & Sons for Sweet Pea Arbutin
Archival Resource Key
1 Glass plate negative
June 1931
281
National Sweet Pea Society, Gold Medal Awarded to Messrs. T. Cullen & Sons for Sweet Pea Arbutin
W. Atlee Burpee III at Flower Show
Archival Resource Key
New York Herald. (New York.)
1 Photograph
circa 1950-1960
152
Films
5.2
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
This series includes film and reel-to-reel and phonographic sound recordings related to talks and interviews given by David Burpee and other Burpee personnel, flower premieres, and farm operations. (Please note that the Archives of American Gardens does not have the A/V equipment needed to play these films and sound recordings.)
The Farm Seed Story
Archival Resource Key
National Garden Bureau
1 Film reel
black and white
circa 1930
291
Where New Flowers are Bred
Archival Resource Key
National Garden Bureau
Burdett, James H.
1 Film reel
color
circa 1947
290
Where New Flowers are Bred
Archival Resource Key
National Garden Bureau
2 Film reels
duplicate copies
color
circa 1947
293
Growing a Flower Garden From Seed
Archival Resource Key
National Garden Bureau
2 Film reels
black and white
circa 1951
289
Growing a Flower Garden From Seed
Archival Resource Key
National Garden Bureau
1 Film reel
color
circa 1951
292
Unidentified Suburban Home and Lawn (film clips)
Archival Resource Key
3 Film reels
color
16mm
circa 1954-1960
463
Unidentified Suburban Home and Lawn (film clips), 1 of 3
Unidentified Suburban Home and Lawn (film clips), 2 of 3
Unidentified Suburban Home and Lawn (film clips), 3 of 3
Scope and Contents
Reel 1 of 3: Classic 1950s suburban homes under construction. People mixing up various seeds and fertilizer and applying it to lawns. Brief timelapse of grass being watered. Exterior shot of front of house.
Reel 2 of 3: Classic 1950s suburban home and yard. Person working on the lawn in wide shot, working on a push mower, including close up of machine, applying seed and fertilizer to the lawn. Wide shot of finished produce of a perfectly manicured lawn and home, ending with some close up shots of flowers.
Reel 3 of 3: Shows soil in a tank, adding water. Flowers in a classic 1950s suburban lawn. Close ups of grass, dark spot going to full healthy green. Children playing on the lawn.
Lawns
Home (television program), Fashions in Gardening segment
Archival Resource Key
1 Film reel
black and white
16mm
3 June 1957
288
Home (television program), Fashions in Gardening segment
Scope and Contents
Segment from a TV show shows a narrator describing the action that ensues, a family gardening on a sound stage and modeling their clothes as the narrator describes the fashions and designers. At one point there are seed packets adhered to the "son's" clothing, which can be assumed to be Burpee Seed packets. The segment closes with a live band.
Francis, Arlene
Burpee Family Papers
Series 6
Archival Resource Key
1819-1978
Scope and Contents
This series includes personal records relating to the Burpee family.
Dr. Washington L. Atlee (1808-1878)
6.1
Archival Resource Key
1877-1879
Scope and Contents
Materials include correspondence, mortgage documents, and a scholarly journal that mentions Dr. Washington L. Atlee (1808-1878).
Medical Articles Authored by Dr. Washington L. Atlee (reprints)
Archival Resource Key
Atlee, Washington L. (Washington Lemuel), 1808-1878
2 Pages
1877, 1878
14
W. Atlee Burpee (1858-1915)
6.2
Archival Resource Key
circa 1915
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, financial records, organization and social club papers, travel ephemera, reference material, and records related to W. Atlee's will.
Expenses
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1903
5
11
The Invisible Man
Archival Resource Key
Wells, H. G. (Herbert George), 1866-1946
1 Book
1897
14
Fiske, Reverend A.S., D.D., A Sermon
Archival Resource Key
Fiske, Asa Severance, 1833-1925
1 Booklet
2 copies
1897
14
Dinner Given to George Junkin Upon the 50th Anniversary of His Admission to the Philadelphia Bar
Archival Resource Key
1898
14
The Story of the Bahai Movement
Archival Resource Key
Sprague, Sydney, 1875-1943
circa 1908
14
Akka Lights (Teachings of Abdul Baha)
Archival Resource Key
1 Booklet
1909
14
Geneaology of John Cornish and William Farr
Archival Resource Key
circa 1910-1920
262
9
The Hound of Heaven
Archival Resource Key
Thompson, Francis, 1859-1907
1911
14
Lines Read at 35th Celebration of Graduation Class of 1878, University of Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
1 Booklet
5 copies
December 12, 1912
14
"Whither Drifting?," Address by Alba B. Johnson at 33rd Annual Dinner of New England Society of Pennsylvania
Archival Resource Key
1 Booklet
4 copies
December 22, 1913
14
Scrapbook of Obituaries
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1915
276
34
Sympathy Book from Market Street National Bank Board of Directors
Archival Resource Key
circa 1915-1916
18
Sympathy Remembrance Book from The Union League of Philadelphia
Archival Resource Key
circa 1915
35
David Burpee (1893-1980)
6.3
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Correspondence, financial records, organization and social club papers, travel ephemera, reference material, and records related to David Burpee's will.
Names and Addresses
Archival Resource Key
1 Notebook
1925-1931
5
12
Personal Correspondence (letters, Christmas cards, invitations)
Archival Resource Key
circa 1928-1929
276
35
Canadian Club of Boston, Charter and By-Laws
Archival Resource Key
1 Booklet
July 1922
14
Eneas Africanus
Archival Resource Key
Edwards, Harry Stillwell, 1855-1938
1 Booklet
1926
14
The Union League of Philadelphia, Officers and Members
Archival Resource Key
1 Booklet
1928
14
Unity: A Way Of Life, Vol. 158, No. 3
Archival Resource Key
1978
14
Burpee Family History
6.4
Archival Resource Key
Scope and Contents
Records related to various Burpee family members including Ann Catherine Burpee (W. Atlee Burpee's mother); Sarah Scott (W. Atlee Burpee's sister); and Mrs. Washington L. Atlee (W. Atlee Burpee's maternal grandmother). Genealogical information regarding both Burpee and Atlee ancestry is typically accompanied by correspondence, photographs, historical narratives, charts, and clippings.
Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings
Archival Resource Key
1 Scrapbook
1909-1915
145
General
Clippings include a mix of personal and Burpee business clippings, the latter focusing on Robert Peary's expedition to the North Pole.