go to gardening exhibit home page go to exhibit themes go to exhibit objects and images go to will gallery go to exhibit resources
Pioneer Gardens title image

Will Seed Company Catalog 1908 cover
Will Seed Company Catalog 1908 cover,
SHSND# 10190
In 1898, some surprising categories appear in the expanded vegetable division. Kohlrabi, dry beans, citron, and garlic (in three pound bunches) were added to the vegetable category along with light- and dark-leaf tobacco. Tobacco remained in the list until 1912. Eggplant disappeared for a few years, but was back in the list by 1923. Rutabagas showed up in 1904. Oddly, sugar beets and mangels were added to the vegetable list in 1898 and remained with the vegetables (distinguished from table beets) until 1904 when they were listed with fodder.

In 1904, the Division superintendent began to offer categories by cultivar. The Potato Class included Snow Flake, Early Ohio, Early Rose, Triumph, and Blue Victor (the fair had always listed categories for red, white, and blue potatoes). The superintendent added wax beans; navy and large white beans distinguished the dry bean category.

Fruits included “tame” red currants, white currants, red raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, strawberries, crabapples, summer apples, and winter apples.

Sweet corn is missing from the Vegetable and Vegetable and Fodder divisions until 1912 (dent and flint corns are listed under crops). In 1912, sweet corn showed up in the Fodder sub-division, but did not show up with garden vegetables until 1921 where it was also identified as “roasting ears.”