Abraham Lincoln Tomato

90 days, indeterminate — 'Abraham Lincoln' was originally released by H. W. Buckbee Seed of Rockford, Illinois in 1923. It eventually became an R. H. Shumway variety. The original seeds for our line were purchased from R. H. Shumway in the late '90s when they were stating that the variety had been cleaned up as the result of a "major rebreeding project".

The 1930 H. W. Buckbee Seed Catalog described the plants as, " . . . the largest Tomato ever grown. We have had nine tomatoes in a single cluster with a total weight of seven pounds; the average weight is about a pound and we have grown many weighing nearly three pounds." The description continued, "phenomenal solidity of flesh" and " . . . a sturdy, healthy grower with distinctive bronzy-green foliage."

Our experience with this Shumway variety is that it is a very sturdy plant that produces nice yields of solid fleshed, dark red, good flavored medium-sized fruit that average about eight ounces. No where near the giant tomatoes they were exclaiming. Additionally, although Shumway claimed lineage to the original, the elusive, and possibly exaggerated "bronzy" foliage tone, keeps us searching for the original 'Buckbee Abraham Lincoln' tomato. Each packet contains approximately 20 seeds.