[JerryL]

I was lucky enough to find a 1902 Mills Seed Catalogue at an antique show last week. Seems Mr. F.B. Mills started as a one man band in 1887 and grew to be a pretty good sized operation by 1902. From what I read he grew most, if not all of his seed himself. The catalogue has a good listing of vegetable & flower seed along with bulbs, shrubs and vines.

But of course the tomatoes are what caught my eye.

For those with eyes like mine the following is part of the description.
Mr. A.A. Halladay, who was made a specialty of growing tomatoes for many years and who originated that most excellent tomato, the “New Imperial” is also the originator of this new variety—the Klondike and this is what he says of it: “For the past five or six years I have been at work perfecting this new tomato. It is entirely distinct from all others. The plants are stalky; leaves are what are known as “Solid” or ‘Potato Leaf.” Very large, (the leaves are the largest I ever saw on a tomato) thick and leathery. etc...

In addition to the Klondike, Mr. Mills also offered the following tomatoes:

Mill’s Challenge
New Imperial
Mill’s Earliest Tomato in the World
New Peach
Livingston’s Perfection
The Matchless
New Long Keeper
Ponderosa
Livingston’s Beauty
Golden Queen
New Zealand Fig
Mikado or Turner’s Hybrid
Atlantic Prize
Dwarf Champion
Improved Extra Early Tree
Mammoth Prize