HELLO FOLKS! This great 
territory known as the Central 
West has been my home for 
nearly two-thirds of a century. 
In looking back through the 
years, it is hard for me to real- * 
ize that all of my time and 
efforts have been devoted to 
our seed and nursery business, 
and to doing my part in making your home and my home in 
this territory a better place in which to live. 
It has been my dream and ambition to furnish to others in 
this territory, seeds and nursery stock of all kinds, at always 
a fair price. Supply and demand have been affected seri¬ 
ously by drought. The possibility of lower prices was never 
farther away, and looking ahead by my continuous contact 
with all world markets, I cannot see lower prices for 1935 . 
I have used my best judgment in placing prices on all 
items in this catalog, but for reasons with which you are all 
familiar, I will be unable to guarantee that any of the prices 
in this catalog will be good for the entire season, and it may 
be necessary to change them daily. Seed crops and nursery 
crops were destroyed in 1934 practically all over the entire 
face of the globe, but we must continue to plant our fields, 
our gardens, and our homes. Plant quality merchandise. 
It’s the cheapest in the long run. 
Don’t forget the shortages of hay and pastures in 1931 , 
1932 , 1933 and 1934 . The necessity was never so great as 
now. Don’t discontinue the production of your hay and 
pasture crops in 1935 . 
Continuing on, and looking 
ahead into the future I will 
continue the same policy as 
I have in the past. Having 
grown up with this country, I 
have tried to keep my feet on 
the ground, have tried to be 
my brother’s keeper, and 
wherever possible, I have used 
every effort and facility at my command to avert disaster— 
to make helpful suggestions, and to keep you informed on 
legislative affairs, both State and National, making my sug¬ 
gestions as I saw them purely for the good of our own ter¬ 
ritory, this great Central West. 
For eight years, WNAX has been your Radio Station. It 
has been run for you by The House of Gurney for your good 
as we have seen it. Through it, I have been able to reach 
you instantly with information vital to your well being. 
Through it, I have been able to save the people of this ter¬ 
ritory millions of dollars, by establishing the WNAX Fair 
Price Gasoline plan, and many other projects that have 
proven beneficial. WNAX is a valuable asset to the people 
of the Central West, and it will be used in the future in your 
behalf. 
The 69 th Annual Catalog contains a list and description 
with prices, of the things you need to plant — that you must 
have in order to continue your planting plans. Don’t forget 
that when you buy from this Gurney catalog, it is your 
insurance that you are getting merchandise, seeds and trees, 
that we believe to be best adapted to your territory. 
^' 7 
of The Great 
Central West 
I believe you will find the prices in this 69 th catalog as low 
or lower than you will be able to buy for elsewhere—quality 
considered. Regardless of the drought and other conditions, 
and in spite of the fact that prices should be higher in the 
nursery department, you will notice in going through that 
section of our catalog devoted to thf nursery department, 
that our prices for 1935 , are very much in line with those 
quoted in our 1934 catalog, and that but very few items 
show a higher price. Nursery stock grown in this territory is 
hardy—the quality is of the best. Survival of the fittest does 
insure you of quality plants and trees. The prices quoted are 
possible only because we grow practically all of our nursery 
stock right here at Yankton. 
In this closing paragraph, I solicit your orders. Naturally, 
I feel that all of your business should be placed with me, so 
that we may continue to be of service to you and yours. 
Assuring you of my cooperation and prompt service, and 
wishing you and yours a most prosperous 1935 , I am , 
Sincerely yours, 
President 
