Found some old catalogs

JerryL · August 13, 2010

Went to the antique mall last Sunday with the LOML. I found three old catalogs. A 1937 Maule’s, a 1941 Maule’s and for me the most interesting, a 1936 J. Chas. McCullough Seed Co.

The 1936 J. Chas. McCullough Seed Co. catalog is of the most interest because it has an address of 230-232 E. Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. I work at 201 E. Fourth St. There is a parking garage and Wendy’s across the street now.

They have a section of “Wilt-Resistant Tomatoes” which include:
Pritchard or Scarlet Topper
Break O’ Day
Marglobe - Wilt-Resistant
Norton - Wilt-Resistant

These fall into the general tomato category:
Beauty
Bonny Best
Chalk’s Early Jewel
Cincinnati Purple
Crimson Cushion or Beefsteak
Dwarf Champion
Earliana
Early Detroit
Golden Queen
John Baer
June Pink
Oxheart
Ponderosa
Purple King
Stone
Trucker’s Favorite

Then there are the “Small Fruited Tomatoes”:
Red Cherry
Red Pear
Yellow Pear
Yellow Plum

They also had plants in season but didn't ship them.

If anyone would like the description of any of these let me know.

**carolyn137** · August 13, 2010

What a wonderful find Jerry.

Did you have to pay much for them b'c I know they can go for a lot of money on e-bay, in general, not necessarily the ones you got.

Wilt Reesistant? Hmm, not really.

I know and have grown most of them but I wonder what happened to Cincinnati Purple which would be pink as would anything with purple as part of the variety name in those years.

**nctomatoman** · August 13, 2010

Very interesting to see Cin. Purple listed there - it is from what I can tell a large pink in the Ponderosa category, but considered to be essentially "obsolete" by 1900 at the latest. I've seen it listed in a few old catalogs in the "old standard varieties we will sell you", but never with a specific description.

Another that strikes me is Purple King - Vaughan put out a large pink tomato called King in the 1920-30 range.

So, if you can provide a description for those two, that would be interesting!

Maule are always good catalogs...I am working on getting a full set (well, say between 1895 and 1940 or so)...probably got about half of em!

JerryL · August 13, 2010

Carolyn, the price wasn’t too bad. Only an arm and a leg.

I too wonder what happened to Cincinnati Purple. I’d love to grow a hometown tomato.

Craig,

Interesting you have seen Cincinnati Purple listed in other catalogs. If I were to have guessed prior to now I would have said it was a known variety renamed for the local market.

Cincinnati Purple – A favorite sort in this locality and one of the very best for home use. It is very round, smooth. Solid and of splendid flavor. Vines are vigorous and remarkably productive. Fruits of large size, very meaty; have small seed cells and are of rich flavor.

Purple King – One of the largest and best of the purplish pink varieties. Vines very vigorous and productive; fruits smooth, uniform in size, nearly globe shaped. It is an extremely early sort and of excellent quality. It is especially valuable for shipping. Purple King will become popular wherever grown. It is a very large, early sort and its freedom from cracking is a strong point in its favor.

August 13, 2010	#1
JerryL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: S.W. Ohio z6a Posts: 736	Found some old catalogs Went to the antique mall last Sunday with the LOML. I found three old catalogs. A 1937 Maule’s, a 1941 Maule’s and for me the most interesting, a 1936 J. Chas. McCullough Seed Co. The 1936 J. Chas. McCullough Seed Co. catalog is of the most interest because it has an address of 230-232 E. Fourth Street, Cincinnati, Ohio. I work at 201 E. Fourth St. There is a parking garage and Wendy’s across the street now. They have a section of “Wilt-Resistant Tomatoes” which include: Pritchard or Scarlet Topper Break O’ Day Marglobe - Wilt-Resistant Norton - Wilt-Resistant These fall into the general tomato category: Beauty Bonny Best Chalk’s Early Jewel Cincinnati Purple Crimson Cushion or Beefsteak Dwarf Champion Earliana Early Detroit Golden Queen John Baer June Pink Oxheart Ponderosa Purple King Stone Trucker’s Favorite Then there are the “Small Fruited Tomatoes”: Red Cherry Red Pear Yellow Pear Yellow Plum They also had plants in season but didn't ship them. If anyone would like the description of any of these let me know. __________________ Jerry

August 13, 2010	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	What a wonderful find Jerry. Did you have to pay much for them b'c I know they can go for a lot of money on e-bay, in general, not necessarily the ones you got. Wilt Reesistant? Hmm, not really. I know and have grown most of them but I wonder what happened to Cincinnati Purple which would be pink as would anything with purple as part of the variety name in those years. __________________ Carolyn

August 13, 2010	#3
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	Very interesting to see Cin. Purple listed there - it is from what I can tell a large pink in the Ponderosa category, but considered to be essentially "obsolete" by 1900 at the latest. I've seen it listed in a few old catalogs in the "old standard varieties we will sell you", but never with a specific description. Another that strikes me is Purple King - Vaughan put out a large pink tomato called King in the 1920-30 range. So, if you can provide a description for those two, that would be interesting! Maule are always good catalogs...I am working on getting a full set (well, say between 1895 and 1940 or so)...probably got about half of em! __________________ Craig

August 13, 2010	#4
JerryL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: S.W. Ohio z6a Posts: 736	Carolyn, the price wasn’t too bad. Only an arm and a leg. I too wonder what happened to Cincinnati Purple. I’d love to grow a hometown tomato. Craig, Interesting you have seen Cincinnati Purple listed in other catalogs. If I were to have guessed prior to now I would have said it was a known variety renamed for the local market. Cincinnati Purple – A favorite sort in this locality and one of the very best for home use. It is very round, smooth. Solid and of splendid flavor. Vines are vigorous and remarkably productive. Fruits of large size, very meaty; have small seed cells and are of rich flavor. Purple King – One of the largest and best of the purplish pink varieties. Vines very vigorous and productive; fruits smooth, uniform in size, nearly globe shaped. It is an extremely early sort and of excellent quality. It is especially valuable for shipping. Purple King will become popular wherever grown. It is a very large, early sort and its freedom from cracking is a strong point in its favor. __________________ Jerry