And for comparison, here are the Isbell Seeds 1921 tomato listings

**nctomatoman** · July 21, 2010

There were many seed companies in the US in the 1880-1940 period, but for the most part, only a few seemed really active in tomato breeding. Burpee, Livingston, Maule, Salzer, Henderson, Buckbee, and Isbell seemed to be the leaders in creating new varieties - many of the others had a few specialties but mostly carried the mainstay varieties of the time.

So, for comparison to the Burpee listings, here is what Isbell was selling in 1921.

Red tomatoes: (18 listings)

Earlibell (one of their developments)
Earliana
Bonny Best
Chalk's Early Jewel
John Baer
Enormous
Michigan Red Wonder (their development)
Red Peach
Stone
Matchless
Red Rock
Crimson Cushion
Dwarf Stone
The Comet
Red Currant
Red Cherry
Red Pear
Red Plum

Pink tomatoes: (12 types)

Livingston's Globe
Improved Dwarf Champion
Acme
Colossal (their own development)
Alpha Pink (their own)
June Pink
Early Detroit
Improved Ponderosa
McGee (confused about this one - says "it is a hybrid producing red and pink fruit" - whatever that means!) (their own, I think)
New Big Dwarf (their own)
Beauty
Plentiful (listed as a potato leaf) (their own, I think)

Yellow or Gold tomatoes: (5 types)

Golden Colossal (their own)
Golden Queen
Yellow Cherry
Yellow Pear
Yellow Plum

Missed one! White tomato (1 type)

Albino or White Beauty (exactly as they listed it, very limited quantity!)

So, 36 different tomatoes, of which 9 seem to have been developed by them.

**carolyn137** · July 21, 2010

I'm surprised at how many of the Burpee 1939 ones and the Isbell ones from 1921, but I think that goes back to the varieties that you got out of the USDA in the early 90's when it was still possible to do that.

I guess I prefer the 1939 list b'c that's the year I was born.

July 21, 2010	#1
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	And for comparison, here are the Isbell Seeds 1921 tomato listings There were many seed companies in the US in the 1880-1940 period, but for the most part, only a few seemed really active in tomato breeding. Burpee, Livingston, Maule, Salzer, Henderson, Buckbee, and Isbell seemed to be the leaders in creating new varieties - many of the others had a few specialties but mostly carried the mainstay varieties of the time. So, for comparison to the Burpee listings, here is what Isbell was selling in 1921. Red tomatoes: (18 listings) Earlibell (one of their developments) Earliana Bonny Best Chalk's Early Jewel John Baer Enormous Michigan Red Wonder (their development) Red Peach Stone Matchless Red Rock Crimson Cushion Dwarf Stone The Comet Red Currant Red Cherry Red Pear Red Plum Pink tomatoes: (12 types) Livingston's Globe Improved Dwarf Champion Acme Colossal (their own development) Alpha Pink (their own) June Pink Early Detroit Improved Ponderosa McGee (confused about this one - says "it is a hybrid producing red and pink fruit" - whatever that means!) (their own, I think) New Big Dwarf (their own) Beauty Plentiful (listed as a potato leaf) (their own, I think) Yellow or Gold tomatoes: (5 types) Golden Colossal (their own) Golden Queen Yellow Cherry Yellow Pear Yellow Plum Missed one! White tomato (1 type) Albino or White Beauty (exactly as they listed it, very limited quantity!) So, 36 different tomatoes, of which 9 seem to have been developed by them. __________________ Craig

July 21, 2010	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I'm surprised at how many of the Burpee 1939 ones and the Isbell ones from 1921, but I think that goes back to the varieties that you got out of the USDA in the early 90's when it was still possible to do that. I guess I prefer the 1939 list b'c that's the year I was born. __________________ Carolyn