Agriculture Promoters
SOLD April 2014 |
CDV-format albumen print of three men one holding a sheath of oats and another a publication titled "Facts for Farmers", circa 1871 by Moore, Chicago. With hand-corrected photographer's imprint on reverse reading "Moore, Photographer 75 Lake St., Chicago" and a modern pencil notation indicating Moore worked at this address in 1871. The gentleman with oats in image is believed to be D. W. Ramsdell, the "Norway Oat Man."
This image was tentatively identified from another CDV as showing "Smith, Jones, and D. W. Ramsdell"-- the latter being the 19th-century promoter of supposed high-yield "black Norway oats."
A notice in the Los Angeles Herald of 15 April 1898 refers to the death of Ramsdell and gives something of his history. Ramsdell claimed his "Norway Oats" were originally found in a package of Norway peas. When planted the oats produced exceptional yields and soon Ramsdell was selling the seed for planting at high prices. However, he let "his wealth slip between his fingers" and eventually died working odd jobs under straightened circumstances in Vermont.
