44 



D. M. FERRY & CO'5 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



ing its first fruits almost as early as any sort in cultivation. 

 Vines large, with large, dark green leaves; vigorous and 

 wonderfully productive, being, we think, under high culture, 

 one of the heaviest croppers of any; fruit medium size to 

 large, and unlike most varieties growing larger as the season 

 advances, perfectly smooth, solid, but without any core, 

 deep, rich red color, and of excellent flavor. 



RED VARIETIES FOR GENERAL CROP. 



D. M. FERRY & CO'S OPTIMUS.-A variety mtro- 

 duced by us, and, we believe, the best table tomato in 

 existence. Vine medium sized, but vigorous, healthy and 

 productive, bearing its fruit in clusters of five. Although 

 not presented as a first early sort, many of our customers 

 report that they have obtained ripe fruit from this as early 



D. M. Ferry &. Cos Optimus. 



as from any variety. Fruit medium sized, oval, very smooth 

 and of exceedingly bright, crimson-scarlet color; very free 

 from cracks and rotting but little. The flesh is of a crimson- 

 scarlet color, quite distinct from that of any other sort; it 

 is also the best in flavor and entirely free from the hard 

 spots found ia so many other large sorts. The Optimus is 

 not only one of the best for home use and for market, but it 

 is one of the best canning tomatoes. One who plants this 

 sort either in a garden or for market will be satisfied that it 

 is the most productive, the handsomest and best tomato. 



LIVINGSTON'S FAVORITE-Vine medium, with 

 large, dark green leaves, having numerous clusters of from 

 three to seven large tomatoes, which are a rich dark red 

 color, of oval outline, exceedingly smooth; flesh very firm, 

 but without green spots. This is a favorite variety, on 

 account of its smooth, handsome fruit. 



invariably smooth and handsome. It is one of the hand- 

 somest tomatoes grown, and all who have tried it pronounce 

 it of the highest quality. 



Trophy. 



TROPHY.— Well known as one of the best. Vines of 

 medium size, but producing compact clusters of fruit in 

 immense quantities; fruit large, smooth, of bright red color, 

 solid and of good flavor. We have expended a great deal of 

 labor on the improvement of this old sort, and think that the 

 seed we offer is as good as can be grown. 



PARAGON. — Vine large, vigorous and productive, and 

 continuing so until killed by frost. Fruit large, round, of a 

 dark, crimson-scarlet color, with occasionally a purplish 

 tinge. It ripens up evenly, and the flesh is fine flavored. 



I^IVINGSTON'S PERFECTION.— A variety similar to 

 the last, but an improvement upon it, being a little earlier, and 



Livingston's Perfection. 



IGNOTUM.— We have not been in a position to offer this 

 before, because of the fact that the stock was not entirely 

 free of a tendency to produce an occasional plant which was 

 not true. We have by careful selection succeeded in elimi- 

 nating this tendency and now offer it as one of the purest 

 and best stocks of this sort, and we think it to be, perhaps, on 

 the whole the best very large red fruited tomato. Vines 

 large, with large leaves, very productive; fruit under favor- 

 able conditions grows to the largest size; smooth, regular in 

 shape, very sohd and absolutely without the sohd core so 

 objectionable a featm-e of nearly all large sorts. Color deep 

 crimson and very attractive. We hope all our patrons will 

 give this a trial, because where it does not rot, its one fault, 

 it is likely to be used to the exclusion of most other varieties. 



PURPLE FRUITED SORTS. 



ACME.— We have given a great deal of attention to the 

 improvement of this variety, and think we have succeeded 

 in making it the smoothest, the evenest in size, and the 

 earliest of the purple fruited sorts. Vines large, hardy 

 and productive, ripening its first fruits almost as early 

 as any and continuing to bear abundantly until cut off 

 by frost. Fruit in clusters of four or five, invariably round, 



smooth and of good size, free from cracks and stands ship- 

 ping remarkably well; flesh solid and of excellent flavor. 

 For market gardeners who want an early purple fruited 

 tomato, either for home market or to ship, for private gardens 

 or for canners, it stands without a peer among its class. 



ESSEX EARLY HYBRID.— Very similar to the Acme, 

 fruit slightly darker purple, always smooth and handsome; 

 quality among the best. Will -certainly give satisfaction 

 wherever the Acme does. 



DTVARF CHAMPION.— This is a purple fruited variety 

 the principal merit of which is the dwarf habit of the vines, 

 which grow about three feet high. The branches ai'e also 

 proportionately short, making a bushy plant that stands 

 quite erect without stakes. Fruit smooth, medium size; 

 color purphsh-pink, fairly solid, but has no hard core, and is 

 of good flavor. About as early as any purple fruited tomato, 

 and is quite popular in some parts of the country. 



LIVINGSTON'S BEAUTY.— We have been selecting 

 this to a larger, smoother fruit than the original stock, until 

 now we think we have made it the smoothest and best of the 

 large purple sorts. Vines large, vigorous and heavy bearers; 

 fruit large, uniform in size, very smooth, color of skin 

 purplish-pink; flesh light pmk and of excellent flavor. 

 While we think the color weak for canning, it is used con- 

 siderably for this purpose. 



