One of the oldest varieties: The Boston Market tomato

[stevenkh1]

Is this old variety still around (or possibly renamed)? Here's some old info on it:
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*Ad for Boston Market Tomato seed, Early, Smooth, and Solid, 10 cents per package* (see attached ad image below).

- source: The Tribune Almanac, Horace Greeley, 1866
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"From the best information we can gather, this variety orginated with some of the market-men in the vacinity of Boston, Mass.; and was probably obtained by selection. There is little in the foliage or general character of the plant that would distinguish it from many others; but for some years it has been considered one of the most productive, and at the same time one of the most salable and best, of all the sorts extensively grown for city markets. The fruit is of full medium size, generally smooth and regular, of a deep rich scarlet or red color, and almost destitute of rind, fleshy, and nearly solid to the center, with few seeds. Though in the process of ripening it colors less promptly and perhaps less perfectly about the stem than the General Grant, and does not, perhaps possess the solid, meaty character of the Maupay, still the yield is so generous, the fruit suffers so little from transportation, and it is withal of so good quality, that it must be classed among the few really valuable sorts now in cultivation. Compared with the Boston-Market, some growers pronounce the General Grant essentially the earlier; but this does not quite accord with our own experience."

- source: Tilton's Journal of Horticulture and Florist's Companion, Vol 6, 1869.
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"...I find both Alger and Keyes to be tomatoes of excellent flavor, and these are each distinguished by a foliage very similar to and suggestive of the potato, to which the tomato family is allied; the flavor of each of these vegetables suggests the other; and the fruit of the tomato suggests strongly the ball of the potato. The Boston Market tomato is of good market size, is early, colors well all over and fills up very solid. This is the favorite sort around Boston, where leading market gardeners have their different strains. Around New York this kind has not always given such satisfaction, the gardeners there appearing to lay more stress on size than on some more valuable characteristics, which have to be sacrificed. General Grant closely resembles Boston Market, but is somewhat smaller, and perhaps rather more solid; it may be a little earlier and is somewhat smoother. I consider this but a strain of the Boston Market."

- source: Nineteenth Annual Report of the Massachussetts Board of Agriculture for 1871.
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"The tomatoes are raised in the surrounding country here - chiefly in Arlington and Belmont, which lie about six or seven miles north-west from Boston. The kind preferred at present are known as the Boston Market; these are a smooth, compact tomato, weighing from 150 to 200 grams; they are very solid being well filled with meat and very few seeds. These are brought in daily and sold to the factories. At the factory they are emptied a bushel at a time into a wire basket, and then scalded by dipping into a tank of boiling water. They are then removed to a large table, when they are sorted into firsts and seconds only, the ripest being packed as firsts. They are then measured out into pails holding about a peck each, and passed on to the skinners who carefully skin and core them. They are then ready for packing. The cans are filled by hand, the tomatoes being packed as closely as possible into the can. It is found at this stage of the operation that the juice is present in excess and a considerable portion is thrown away. No water is ever used, as the tomatoes furnish more than enough. After the cans are filled to within an eighth of an inch of the top, the lid is placed upon them and soldered fast. A small hole is then punched in it, and the cans are placed in a hot bath until steam issues from the hole; they are then removed from the bath and allowed to cool slightly and sealed; they are then returned to another bath in which they are boiled from 30 to 45 minutes; from this bath they are removed to a cooling room. Next morning, when cooled, they are stacked. At the end of th packing season the cans are examined and those which have spoiled are rejected. The conidition of a can almost be told from an examination of the outside. A can in good order has the ends concave. If, on the other hand, the ends are convex, it is almost certain that the can is spoiled.

- source: Tha Analyst, Volume 5, S.P. Sharples, August 23rd, 1880.
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"Boston Market. (Fulton Market. Extra Early Red of Ferry. General Grant. Alpha.) Fruit flattened, in average specimens about three inches broad the longest way by an inch and a half deep, somewhat cornered, bright clear red, firm. The fruit inclines to become double and distorted. I can detect no constant or important distinctions between the several named varieties here combined with Boston Market. Fulton Market is perhaps inclined to be more regular, and to bear a well marked suture on one side. The General Grant, as figured and described at the time of its introduction (about 1870), was much more regular in shape than at present. These sorts possess little merit at the present day. - College from Rawson (Boston Market), College from Gregory, Prussia (Fulton Market), College from Henderson, Prussia, (General Grant), College from Thorburn (Alpha)."

- source: Twenty-sixth Annual Report of the Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture of the State of Michigan from October 1, 1886, to June 30, 1887.
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"No. 32. Victor - Neuman. Similar to Boston Market, Fulton Market, Alpha, Faultless, and Gen. Grant. Fruits of medium size, early, and are produced in abundance, but a majority of them are irregular, and many of the smooth kinds will give better satisfaction."

- source: Michigan Agricultural Experiment State, State Agricultural College, Department of Botany and Forestry, Bulletin 56, February, 1890.
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"Our own country was even later than England in beginning the general culture of the tomato. The fruit is said to have been introduced into Philadelphia by a French refugee from St. Domingo in 1798, and in 1806 McMahon writes: 'The tomato is much cultivated for its fruits in soups and sauces...and is also stewed and dressed in various ways and very much admired.' It was introduced into Salem, Mass., about 1802 by an Italian painter Come, 'but he found it difficult to persuade the people even to taste the fruit'. The general culture of the tomato for market began about 1829.
"The history of the introduction of our common varieties is a record of gradual change from the angular sorts of the Orangefield and Hundred Day type to the smooth apple-shaped type of to-day. The old Large Red of the earlier catalogues was followed in 1862 by Fiji Island and in 1864 by the Cook's Favorite. In 1866, Tilden appeared and then in rapid succession Maupay, Keye's Extra Early, Boston Market, General Grant, Trophy, and Paragon. Paragon was the first of the round or apple-shaped varieties to attain prominence, and its introduction gave a great impetus to the culture of the tomato as a field crop. It was a triumph for the application of correct principles of selection, for in the production of this variety the habit of the whole plant rather than the character of an individual fruit was considered."

- source: Annual Report of the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, Orono Maine, 1892.
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Thank you very much in advance for helping me find this old variety...

Steve

[carolyn137]

Steve, to the best of my knowledge Boston Market is one of hundreds that are no longer around.

Synonyms for it are:

Alpha
Extra Early Red
Fulton Market
General Grant

......from Gregory, 1872 and Bailey, 1887

Alpha is extinct
Extra Early Red, ditto
Fulton Market, ditto
General Grant someone started listing a few years ago but there was no documentation and the person listing just found a red in the general region of PA where that variety apparently came from and decided to call it General Grant.

I don't know if you're looking for Boston Market specifically or seeds available for even older varieties and I mean much older than Boston Market.

Pre-1800 varieties still available would include Roi Humberto, Green Gage and Red and Yellow Pears, for example.

And there were many varieties older than Boston Market for which seeds are still available, such as Trophy, Large Red, Paragon and quite a few of the A.W. Livingston varieties.

[nctomatoman]

Hi, Steve - I will pitch in here as well. One of the issues with the really old commercial OP varieties was variable stock, loss of distinct varieties due to either crossing or sales of varieties yet to be stable, and the very common practice of renaming varieties to provide an exclusive.

Even in the case of varieties we've plucked from the USDA collection (such as Conqueror, Alpha, etc), in some cases they don't match the catalog descriptions, indicating crossing has gone on over the years.

What seems to be clear is that the really old tomatoes that are pre-Livingston tended to be quite irregular in shape and not particularly large - so in contrast to many of the large, colorful heirloom varieties we enjoy today, some of these oldies would be pretty unimpressive. I've grown Conqueror and Alpha - the former very irregular/lobed in shape (just like some of the old still like paintings that depict tomatoes!) and pretty ordinary tasting - the latter a small fruited non descript potato leaf variety. Livingston really focused on regular, smooth tomatoes that were especially good for canning and reliable yields. Again, those of us who have grown Magnus, Favorite, and Golden Queen can appreciate them for their historical significance, but none of them would knock Cherokee Purple or Stump of the World or Kellogg's Breakfast out of our gardens.

So Boston market, under that name anyway, is likely gone for good - or if it does exist, it does so under some other name that became attached over the years.

[stevenkh1]

Hi Carolyn and Craig,

Thank you for your kind response.

After 9 years of renovation, we have *finally* moved in to our pre-1868 era home last December. I celebrated this spring by manually busting sod on a 25' x 40' garden, bought heirloom seeds and filling it with Brandywine Suddeth, Cherokee Purple, Amish Paste, Riesentraube, German Johnson, and Hillbilly tomatoes, along with old WV half runners beans, squash, and potatoes.

As my house is now considered a historical home by the town, I want to grow a period correct garden which of course would include tomatoes. I'm not worried if these old varieties don't taste like Brandywines; I'm sure they'll be fine for canning (soups, stews, and chili).

With all that said, I'm interested in purchasing seeds. I wish I could trade but unfortunately, the seeds I've saved from my garden this year happen to be the common heirlooms everyone already has.

By the way, one of those old sources I quoted stated General Grant was likely a strain of the Boston Market. As Boston Market was such a popular tomato for decades in Massachussetts, I have to think some families still grow it. I emailed two heirloom tomato farmers who's farms are near Boston to see if they know anything about it. It'll be interesting to see if they can help.

As for Alpha, is it possible that it reverted back to one of its ancestors? I'd love to grow that one!

Thank you in advance,

Steve