I rather like the title of this sub forum "The Legacy of Yesteryear Varieties", especially since it links the potential interests of genetics buffs like myself to trace the pedigree from modern day tomatoes back to historical ties.
The history of the New Yorker would not be complete without giving a few hints of its ancestral heritage of Earliana back to Stone. If you read on, there may be some "hints" of Favorite and Beauty as possible parents in the origin of Earliana on down through extra breeding lines to New Yorker.
I have not started a collection of really old catalogs like Craig, however, his input is certainly welcomed to this discussion about the ancient parentage of New Yorker; namely Stone and anything about Favorite and/or Beauty.
When I think of the Stone tomato,I remember an old timer back in the mid 1970's who was reminiscing about his favorite tomato of his youth. So I requested seed of Stone from the tomato collection at Ames, Iowa. I had the plants ready for him in 8 weeks as I recall. It sure makes me think back in the days when I would contract the tomato varieties to be grown by a greenhouse grower in St. Joseph, MO. I was so proud to display this tray of Stone tomato plants in three inch peat pots at the Garden Center along the Belt Highway in St. Joseph, Missouri. I had a fun time talking with the old timers, most of whom were born in the late 1800's or Indian Territory! I bought three plants to grow myself. As the assistant manager, I would contract the perfect pair (Jet Star and Supersonic) along the Big Boys, Better Boys, Golden Jubilees, along with some of my creations before they became known to the public.
Most of us who tried the "Stone" went back to the newer hybrids. I ate some of the Stone tomatoes that summer and wondered what the fuss was about. But maybe what I received was not quite what the old timers had.
As to the "Legacy" of Stone, I am including some "quotes" from the 'Net.
Quote:
78 days. (ab, fw1) (Indeterminate) [Introduced by The Livingston Seed Co. in 1889. The original plant was found by Mr. Nichols between rows of 'Favorite' and 'Beauty'.] Fruits are slightly flattened globes weighing about 5 to 7 oz. with uniform ripening and attractive bright color. A good all-purpose tomato with good keeping quality, especially recommended for canning. Vines are vigorous, highly branched, and provide good protection of the fruit. Fruits are somewhat acidic, and not as sweet as other varieties, but 'Stone' is a dependable, very drought hardy tomato that will last the full season. This old variety has shown better resistance to foliage disease and fruit rot than some of the other old varieties we have grown.
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http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a
Quote:
Alexander W. Livingston, a Reynoldsburg, Ohio seedsman, in 1870 developed the first commercially successful variety of tomato. He changed the tomato from an ugly duckling of horticulture (small, ribbed, hard cored, and almost hollow) into the uniform, smooth-skinned, juicy, flavor-packed, meaty beauty that is one of the world’s favorite foods. Livingston and his seed company eventually introduced more than 30 varieties of tomatoes. By 1910, half the major varieties of tomatoes grown in the United States were Livingston products, and he won praise from the U. S. Department of Agriculture.
"With all due credit to the important contributions of other growers, seedsmen, and investigators, it is not out of place to call attention again to the great contribution of the Livingston Seed Co. to tomato improvement. Of about 40 varieties that had attained a distinct status prior to 1910, a third were productions or introductions by the Livingston company. If we add those varieties derived directly from Livingston productions and introductions, it appears that half of the major varieties were due to the abilities of the Livingstons to evaluate and perpetuate superior material in the tomato."
-- The Yearbook of Agriculture 1937, U. S. Department of Agriculture.
Stone and Globe are among the Livingston varieties grown today. Seed producers still carry heirloom Livingston seeds such as Acme, Beauty, Buckeye State, Dwarf Stone, Golden Queen, and Perfection.
Alexander Livingston sold 5,000 pounds of seed for his delicious "Beauty" tomato in 1893.
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http://www.heartlandscience.org/agrifood/tomato.htm
Tom Wagner