Packets
contain approximately 20 seeds unless otherwise noted.
[Although we
separate seeds during the harvest process, you may find small clumps of
multiple seeds in your packet. Separate into individual seeds before
planting.]
Please remember
that maturity date are from time of setting plants into the garden.
Additionally these dates will vary from location to location and
even from year to year. They are for rough planning purposes
only.
Abraham Lincoln, Shumway's "Original" 90 days, indeterminate
The variety 'Abraham Lincoln' was originally released by H. W. Buckbee Seed of Rockford, Illinois in 1923. It eventually became an
R. H. Shumway variety. The original seeds for our line were purchased from Shumway in the late '90s when they were stating that the variety had been cleaned up as the result of a "major rebreeding project".
The 1932 Shumway Seed Catalog described the plants as, " . . . the largest Tomato ever grown. We have had nine tomatoes in a single cluster with a total weight of seven pounds; the average weight is about a pound and we have grown many weighing nearly three pounds." It continued in the description with such acclamations as, "phenomenal solidity of flesh" and " . . . a sturdy, healthy grower with distinctive bronzy-green foliage."
Our experience with this Shumway variety is that it is a very sturdy plant that produces nice yields of solid fleshed, dark red, good flavored medium-sized fruits that average about eight ounces. We are continuing our search for the original 'Buckbee Abraham Lincoln' tomato.
Ace 55 VF 85 days, indeterminate
Ace 55 is best for fresh use. The medium late, red, firm, oblate fruit are moderately smooth. The plants are medium to large and are tolerant to Verticillium and Fusarium.
According to a study in the late 1970s, this variety was specifically named as having a low acid content that could allow botulism to grow and therefore should not be canned using a hot water bath method. Check with your local extension office for up-to-date home canning information.
We know very little about the history of the De Giorgi Brother's Seed Company of Council Bluffs, Iowa other than they were in business in the early 1900s and a contemporary of the A. W. Livingston Seed Company. Their 'Acme' tomato is not similar to Livingston's but it is beautiful and tasty. 3402161 - Tomato, Acme, De Giorgi
Large fruited (up to 20 ounces) for such an early maturing fruit. They are oblate, red, mild slightly acidic flavored, firm skinned, and meaty.
Grown out from
USDA ARS
accession number
NSL 193979.
Australian Giant Oxheart 85 days, indeterminate
Regular leaf plants produce fruit that are large, red,
heart-shaped tomato with few seeds. This variety was sent to us by
a woman in Kentucky who received seeds from a friend.
While on a trip to Australia, this tomato was served to the man
for breakfast. They were grown by local farmers.
Beefsteak 90 days, indeterminate
A very old standard variety. Some seed companies list
this as a synonym with 'Crimson Cushion'
but it appears different enough to us to warrant separate
listings.
The fruits are large meaty, ribbed and deep scarlet in
color. Weights average of about twelve ounces. Fairly
soft skinned for easy slicing.
Bisignano
#2 80 days, indeterminate
This variety has been available through SSE members since the
early 1980s. The story is that it was donated from a Mr.
Bisignano, who brought it from Italy.
It is a wonderfully
flavored, regular leaf variety with medium to large (four ounces
to one pound), red, variably shaped fruits - oblate to elongated.
Though fine for sauce, it is also a great eating tomato.
Submitted to us by heirloom tomato collector Craig LeHoullier.
Brandywine,
Red 80-100 days, indeterminate
It is by far one of the best known heirloom tomato varieties. There is a lot of lore surrounding the 'Brandywine' category of
tomatoes.
Reportedly it is an old Amish heirloom, dating
back to 1885 and named after Brandywine Creek in Chester County,
Pennsylvania.
Burgess
Mammoth Wonder 85 days, indeterminate
A nice full flavored variety. Meaty but not dry, slightly
acidic with complex aftertastes. Fruits are oblate in shape
and reach up to 20 ounces in weight.
Grown out from
USDA ARS
accession number
PI 270261.
Cal Ace 80 days, semi-determinate
An improved version of 'Ace' that tends to be a bit earlier, has thicker walls, disease resistance and set well in warm weather. The fruits are oblate-shaped, smooth skinned, ripen uniformly and are meaty and sweet. A good tomato for home garden and fresh market sales.
Cardinal 86 days, indeterminate
An interesting plant with small to medium sized (two to ten ounce),
beautiful red colored, flattened globe shaped fruits. Good flavor,
slightly tart.
Cherokee
(Cherokee
Red) 80 days, determinate
The vigorous, large determinate plants
are good for home gardeners and for the fresh market. The
fruits are late season, medium-large
(seven ounces average), red
with uniform green shoulders and full of
flavor. Resistance to fusarium
wilt races 1 and 2, verticillium wilt race 1. This is not a
variant of 'Cherokee
Purple'.
Crimson
Cushion 90 days, indeterminate
This is a very old late-seasoned, wilt-resistant beefsteak
variety. The fruits are large, fourteen to sixteen ounce, deeply
ribbed, irregular, bright scarlet, juicy, yet solid and very prolific.
Nice balance of tart and sweet. A real nice slicing tomato.
Delicious 77 days, indeterminate
The regular leaf plants set loads of huge fruits weighing one pound or more. They
are smooth skinned, red, fairly crack
resistant with solid interiors and few seeds.
Earliana
65 days,
indeterminate
Extra
early five to six ounce fruit is set in clusters of six tomatoes or
more. The bright red color and tasty flavor makes this a
great early tomato.
It was introduced in
1900 by
Johnson & Stokes of Philadelphia. The original stock
was produced by George Sparks of Salem, New Jersey and is reported
to have been developed from a single plant selection made in a
field 'Stone'.(1)
Earliosa
No. 6
71 days,
indeterminate
Very little history is
known about this variety. We grew it out in hopes of finding an
early
Ponderosa-type. The USDA's database (accession number
NSL 26947) lists that it was added to the collection in 1963.
We found one brief reference to it in an old 1943 Kansas A. E. S.
Bulletin (SB313) that indicated that by that time, it was already
a superseded variety. The plants produce good amounts of
medium sized, red, flattened-globe shaped fruits.
Extreme
Bush
50 days,
determinate
The plants are
twelve
to twenty eight inches tall, tremendously productive, and produce fruit over
a long period of time. The leaves interestingly curl up and
inward. The fruits are very flavorful, weigh about three
ounces, are globe-shaped and red in color. This would
be a great candidate for our gardening friends with limited space
or wishing to container garden. Source: USDA ARS accession number
PI 302463.
Flora-Dade
74 days,
determinate
This
extremely popular market tomato is well adapted to southern humid
areas. Flora-Dade was developed by the University of
Florida, Homestead and offers mid-season fruit with a deep globe
shape, that are firm, smooth and jointless. It is red at maturity,
about seven ounces on a determinate plant that offers good cover.
Flora-Dade has SVF 1 & 2 disease tolerance. Released
1976.
Glacier 55 days, determinate
The potato leaf plants set beautiful, red, globe-shaped fruits that weigh from one to three ounces that are tasty and sweet.
A very early variety.
Glamour 74 days, indeterminate
Glamour
sets heavy clusters of red, six ounce fruits that are almost globe-shaped, solid and
crack resistant. Does great in the Northeast and the Midwest
U.S. Bred by the Birds-Eye Horticultural Research
Laboratories, Albion, New York and originally marketed by Joseph
Harris Co., Rochester, New York. Released in 1957.
Greater
Baltimore 95 days, indeterminate
It is reported to have been developed from a single plant
selection made about 1900 by John Baer of Baltimore, Maryland
(1).
The plant was discovered in a field of 'Livingston's Stone'
and discovered to be wilt resistant. It was release by J. Bolgiano & Sons
of Baltimore in 1905.(1)
The foliage is regular leafed and the fruits are red and shaped
like slightly flattened globes.
Heinz VF 75 days,determinate
An early, bright red,
crack resistant fruit. Heavy yielder with Fusarium and
Verticillium disease resistance. A good processing type
tomato bred and originally released by the Heinz Company.
Homestead 24 80 days, determinate
The fruit set under a wide range of conditions, making it
popular the world over.
The plants are large with heavy
foliage and produce seven to eight ounce red fruits that are meaty, firm,
and consistently uniform. Released in 1956 by the
Asgrow Seed Co., New
Haven, Connecticut.
Improved
Colossal Red 95 days, indeterminate
Released in 1948 by the old Burgess Seed and Plant Company
that used to be in Galesburg,
Michigan.
It produces nice red fruits. A wonderful slicer, good
balance of sweet and tart, great texture, very meaty.
J.T.D. 85 days, indeterminate
In
1887, J. T. (John Thompson) Dorrance developed a unique line of
condensed soups for the Campbell company.
Dorrance crafted condensed soup out of hardy stock ingredients,
slashed the price of soup from thirty cents to a dime per can, and
revolutionized the industry. By 1922, soup was such an integral
part of the companys presence in America, that Campbells
formally added "Soup" onto its name. The company used the
red and white school colors of
Cornell
University to produce a distinctive, and now famous, label.
The tomato, named in honor of the man, was bred by the Campbell
Soup Company for specific characteristics for growing in New
Jersey and for its own factory use.2
Aside from its significance as a good red processing
tomato, it has the historical significance of being used as a
parent in the development of other important tomato varieties.
The
plants are vigorous and productive. Fruits are medium to
large sized (six to sixteen ounces), red, globe to oblate shaped and
tasty.
Although not the greatest tasting tomato variety, nor intended as
a choice for your main crop, it is a serious candidate for your
extra garden space to provide out of season tomatoes for your
table.
The
fruits are harvested late in the season prior to your first frost
when they reach a light, orange-red color. The skin turns a
medium-red color with red flesh, when stored properly.
Select only perfect, unblemished and undamaged fruits and store in
a cool, dark place. Do not wrap them in paper but store so
they are not touching. They will stay fresh in storage six
to twelve weeks.
Another
method was sent to us by a gardening friend in Wyoming. She
uprooted her plants before the first frost in September and hung
them in her basement. Using this method, she enjoyed fresh
tomatoes as they ripened on the vines all through the fall and
well into winter. The picture on the left was taken on
January 5th and she noted that, "They taste so REAL."
Louisiana Red 90 days, indeterminate
Bred by C. W. Edgerton by
crossing 'Louisiana Wilt Resistant' and
'Earliana'
(Langdon Strain) and released in 1918. It is one of the
early wilt resistant varieties. The fruits are scarlet (red),
slightly flattened globe in shape and weigh three to fourteen ounces. Our
parent stock source was USDA ARS accession number
PI 270197.
Lutescent
Long Red 100 days, indeterminate
From Canada. The regular leaf plants have foliage that
yellows as it matures, from the bottom of the plant up, similar to
'Honor
Bright' but not as pronounced. The fruits are medium
sized (four to eleven ounces), deep globe shaped, and turn from a nearly
white color to red at maturity.
Marglobe 75 days, determinate
Developed in 1917
by Fred
J. Pritchard of the USDA by crossing 'Marvel' and 'Globe'.
Released in 1925. One of the first disease resistant strains with a good resistance
to Verticillium and Fusarium wilt. 'Marglobe' is the parent of
many tomato varieties.
(1, 2)
Red,
smooth and
solid six ounce fruit that is crack resistant. Its
earliness favors its adoption in canning regions of Northern
States where frosts and short seasons are common.
Marmande 65 days, semi-determinate
The plants are prolific producers of medium-sized, slightly ribbed oblate fruits that are red with an excellent flavor.
The variety was original bred by Vilmorin Seed Company, France and released about 1897.
Market
Champion 80 days,indeterminate
The 1936 William Henry Maule Seed Company catalog stated that
it was a new variety. The fruits are bright red,
flattened-globe shaped, averaging six to ten ounces and exhibiting
good crack resistance. Yields are moderate to high with
fruit ripening evenly with no green shoulders.
When introduced it was said to be, "The Best for Canning"
but we think it makes a good slicing tomato also. Originally from
USDA ARS accession number
NSL 27091.
Matchless
(Burpee's) 85 days,indeterminate
A
main crop variety with fruits that are red,
flattened-globe in shape and about six
ounces in weight. They are juicy,
with a slightly sweet, mildly acid, good flavor.
Released in 1889 by
W.
Atlee Burpee.
It
should be noted that this is the regular leaf variety in agreement
with original Burpee catalog descriptions. There is other seed
circulating in the industry under the name "Matchless" that produce
similar fruits but of dwarf,
rugose leaf plants. It is believed that
the
rugose leaf plant variety is in fact Burpee's 'Quarter
Century'.
Maule's
Success 90 days,indeterminate
The red, oblate fruits range from five to thirteen ounces and have a
good, "red tomato" flavor. Released by William Henry Maule
Seed Company prior to 1907. Grown out from
USDA ARS accession number
NSL 27653.
McGee 55 days,indeterminate
A really early variety. The fruits are one to three
ounces, red, smooth-skinned, and globe-shaped. They are
mild, slightly tart with a good lingering aftertaste.
Grown out from
USDA ARS accession number
PI 644964.
Medford 80 days,determinate
Introduced by Oregon State University. Good fruit cover, early
to medium early depending on location, fruit medium to large (six to
thirteen ounces), uniform red color. Solid, good flavor and internal
color.
Mediterranean 90 days,indeterminate
A bee keeper from the Mediterranean brought the seed to the
Corbett, Oregon area. The fruits weigh one to two pounds, range in
shape from globe to heart and double-heart, and are sweet in
flavor. Original seed sent to us by Melvin Christensen.
Indicates New Variety for 2008
In
1887, J. T. (John Thompson) Dorrance developed a unique line of
condensed soups for the Campbell company.
