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Livingston's Perfection Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum

Price: $2.95

SKU: 3400751

Perfection 

85 days, indeterminate — 'Perfection' plants are regular leaf, vigorous and productive. Its fruit are relatively small for modern standards, usually averaging eight to nine ounces each, flattened-globe to oblate shaped, and a deep, bright-red color that Livingston called "blood-red." The skin is sturdy, allowing it to have been shipped to long distance markets, but not objectionably tough.

It was introduced by Alexander W. Livingston in 1880 and was described in the 1893 seed annual as follows:

"An improved Acme with red skin; somewhat larger, fully as early, has more solid flesh and fewer seeds, and produces more and larger fruit at the close of the season; invariably smooth and of a handsome blood-red color. All who have tried it pronounce it of the highest quality. Some canners prefer it to all others, especially those who can the tomato whole."[1]

Mr. Livingston discovered this historic variety as a single "sport" plant growing in his field of 'Acme' tomatoes[2] ('Acme' was a pink-fruited variety and is now presumed extinct). In his book entitled "Livingston and the Tomato," Mr. Livingston wrote:

"The stalk and foliage are lighter than those of the Paragon, but stronger than those of the Acme. The fruit is uniformly smooth like the others, only it is a little flatter from the stem to the blossom ends. Its blood red color is very desirable, meeting the fancies of the public, especially in the Eastern markets. One particular advantage it has as a shipper, is that it begins to show ripening several days before it is fully ripe. It also has a thick, tough skin, which is not easily broken in transit. With this kind, inexperienced hands or pickers in the South, if directed to gather only those fully grown and showing a tinge of ripening, can be employed to gather the fruit; and the grower will not get it into the distant market green, wilted or spotted. This is a good tomato for bulk of crop, almost anywhere and everywhere."[2]

'Perfection' is the third introduction of the father of the modern processing tomato. Our seed originated as the National Seed Storage Lab's accession number NSL 27142. Each packet contains approximately 20 seeds.

Fruit Color: Red
Special Groups: Livingston Tomatoes
Harvest Timing: Main Crop / Mid-Season
Informational Sources:
  1. "Seed Annual for 1893," Livingston Seed Company, Columbus, Ohio, 1893.
  2. "Livingston and the Tomato: Being the History of Experiences in Discovering the Choice Varieties Introduced by Him with Practical Instructions for Growing," A. W. Livingston, 1893, pages 27-29.
Although the name of this variety contains a modern company's name, the seed we are offering is in no way sourced from, "owned by" or connected with that company. The name is simply the historically accurate, common name for the variety giving credit to the seedsman that originally released it.

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