(Can two different plants with the same unusual name be a coincidence? What could be the source of the name?)

There are many instances of the same name being used for different vegetables and fruits.

Golden Delicious is both a tomato variety and an apple variety. Green Gage is both a plum and a tomato variety. First in the Field can be a tomato, and many other veggies. Ruby Red can be a grapefruit and a tomato. Elberta can be a peach and a tomato. Early Wonder can be both a beet and a toamto. Paris Market can be both a carrot and a brussels sprout. Cherokee can be both a corn and a tomato.

And on and on.

There was a thread about the tomato Stump of the World just last week and below I've linked to the thread from the Tomato Forum.

So yes, the same name can be used for more than one fruit or veggie and considering the timeline of introduction on most of these it's no doubt random as far as naming goes.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Stump of the World tomato

Yes, but I get mister's point -- what an odd name to come up with even once, let alone over and over again. Even more so if it's just random and there's no connection between them. I mean, Golden Delicious or First in the Field are descriptive names, but what could Stump of the World be descriptive of?

Here's a link describing the "Stump the world" peach (from 1914): Heritage Fruit List. I forgot to list it last time because I had several different search versions going and 4 browser windows open. I thought white-flesh peaches were recent. Another reference shows that the peach existed in 1885.

And it gets a little more complicated. There is a variety of peach called "Stump of the Earth!" Is it the same peach? It's mentioned in passing here on GardenWeb. But here is a fuller description of White Peaches (New Jersey, 1825). But "Earth" is described as "early" while the first link describes "World" as "late."

The Lippitt Mill History link worked today. Last time I got a "page not found" error.

The word "stump" has a lot of meanings: Webster's Online Dictionary, but it isn't specifically tied to the word "world." The word can refer to travelling, perplexing, a remainder.

A grafting reference would be obvious for plants. Some literary reference might be suspected, such as Daniel 4 where a king is told basically that his kingdom will be cut down like a tree but grow back from the stump. Isaiah 11?

Maybe all of this made more sense in the English of a century ago. It certainly has me stumped.

(Maybe all of this made more sense in the English of a century ago. It certainly has me stumped.)

But I think I have a clue which only occurred to me when I was reading here last night.

I was thinking of Ben Quisenberry who probably named Stump of the World, the tomato, and also knowing it's called Big Ben and suddenly it occurred to me that one thing he was noted for was being very religious.

He wrote quotes from the Bible on almost all the many seed packs that he sent out, for instance.

So I entered Stump of the Word Bible at Google and was rewarded.

(The church has come to see that the shoot from the stump of Jesse, the great King Isaiah describes is none other then our Lord Jesus Christ. In Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, we see this ancient prophecy in clearer focus. From the cut off, bleeding stump of his crucifixion there rises the new green shoot of resurrection life and power. In the risen and ascended Christ, the light of hope and the promise of victory still shines like a beacon into the future.)

And I've linked below to a sermon on this whole issue of the shoot of the world coming from a stump. And there are other Bible references to stump as well discussed in th is sermon.

That would be Ben Quisenberry who would use a biblical reference to name a tomato variety.

And as far as that goes, many of the Stump of the Earth or Stump of the World varieties mentioned date back to a much earlier time. And in an earlier time folks were more in tune with the Bible and how it impacted their lives, and was central to their lives.

So consider the possibility that Stump of the World and similar versions had two meanings, in that new green appears as in new life, and that there is a spiritual context there as well.

So perhaps that's why there were so many uses of the Biblical references to stump in naming varieties that would spring from the earth as new life and perhaps even have that deeper spiritual reference for some who named varieties.

That works for Ben and I bet for others as well.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Stump of the World

Yes, Carolyn, that seems the most likely explanation. I had hoped that there was a more direct connection, that the actual phrase "stump of the world" might be in the Bible, or somewhere else.

It's as if we were missing a link. For instance, there might have been a once famous sermon that used the specific phrase, based on the general Biblical references.

Shoot, that seemed like a really good answer -- but wouldn't you think it would be from the King James version? Was there another widespread translation in the relevant time period, among the Ben Quisenberry set? But the KJV doesn't even use Stump of Jesse. Odd.

See the attached link, where you can search for words or phrases in 19 different translations (in English, plus some in other languages).

Here is a link that might be useful: Bibles, full-text online

Regina,

If you enter Stump of Jesse at Google you come up with lots and lots of links.

I didn't check any of them to find out which translation/version of the Bible was being referred to.

The KJV uses stock of Jesse. Actually right now I'm reading a very interesting book about how the KJV was translated fr om the Geneva Bible.

I would have no idea what Bible translation/version Ben Quisenberry used or any of the others who used the Stump analogy for naming veggie and fruit varieties.

Below is a link to Stump of Jesse.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: References to Stump of Jesse

Well, OK, but I'm unconvinced. "Stump of Jesse" isn't "Stump of the World", and there are (or were) apparently tomatoes, peaches, plums, and even shoes named "Stump of the World". I THINK but am not sure that King James would have been the Bible translation widespread 100 years ago. It's still used in a lot of conservative, traditional, Bible-centered Churches. And a full text search doesn't find that phrase anywhere. I did try a few other translations, too, no luck.

There must be another explanation!

(I actually saw a van once, in N.Carolina, with slogans painted all over the sides proclaiming that only the KJV is the true and infallible Word of God).

I am so intrigued.....

Well, OK, but I'm unconvinced. "Stump of Jesse" isn't "Stump of the World", and there are (or were) apparently tomatoes, peaches, plums, and even shoes named "Stump of the World". I THINK but am not sure that King James would have been the Bible translation widespread 100 years ago. It's still used in a lot of conservative, traditional, Bible-centered Churches. And a full text search doesn't find that phrase anywhere. I did try a few other translations, too, no luck.
There must be another explanation!

I am so intrigued.....
You can remain unconvinced Regina, but I'm not. LOL

If you read a few of the links in the general Google search you'd see that Stump of Jesse is just one reference to that and that many interpret it as Stump of the World, as in Jesus appearing and Stump of the Earth is also used.

I've done enugh searching on this and am convinved from what I've read.

And I spoke to the other veggies and fruits so named in my post above.

I must have at least 5 Bible versions myself and still turn to the KJV I received when I joined the Methodist church when I was a kid. I like the old fashsioned thees and thous and the cadence of the sentences more than any other version I've come across.

100 years ago, nay 200 years ago, there were many versions around from the Geneva to the Anglican Book of Common P rayer and lots of others.

So you can read as I have and if you remain unconvinced t hen so be it. LOL

Remember that Stump was not just used in relation to Jesse as several of the links also point out.

Carolyn, who would also mention that in my area there are several churches of different denominations that are called Stump churches. Most of these churches were built in the early to late 1800's.

"Carolyn, who would also mention that in my area there are several churches of different denominations that are called Stump churches. Most of these churches were built in the early to late 1800's."

Now THAT'S interesting! I'm going to keep exploring. Maybe I'll find something more direct.

I recently bought these seeds from tomato growers,hope they taste good

I know nothing of the origin of the name, but I grew Stump of the World last year, and I can attest that it is an EXCELLENT tasting tomato--it's on my must grow list now!

This is a fascinating thread, and now that I've learned about the Jesse tree through the google links, I think we are going to do that for advent this year...thanks for all the great information.

Not to confuse things but at Christmas, it is common to hear in church the term "shoot of Jesse" as referring to Jesus. That is, new growth on old roots. I think it comes from Isaiah. And of course Jesus is often referred to as the Word in the New Testament. But word and world are two different words. What an interesting question.

I bet Carolyn's got it. Though almost certainly the common version of the Bible would have been the King James, consider this, sermons were more popular back then. It's very likely that one or more famous preachers preached a sermon on the "Stump of Jesse" or "Stump of the World." That could have gotten the term entrenched in the language of the day. "Stump" isn't in the KJV. But the meaning of the word is there.

A quick search at www.bible.org shows a number of sermons and studies in which the term is used.

George
Tahlequah, OK

I know this thread is old, but I found it very interesting.

It is the Revised Standard Version that uses the word "stump" of Jesse rather than a "root" of Jesse. Jesus is referred to as the "Shoot from the stump of Jesse".

"And there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.."

So Ben may have gotten the word "stump" from the RSV Bible. I can see how that might lead one to come up with a name like, "Stump of the World".

Jesus was the "Light of the World" because He gave light to the world. Jesus was called the "Shoot from the stump of Jesse" or simply the "Stump of Jesse" (Isa 11:10 and Rom 15:12) becasue he came forth from Jesse. Jesse was his ancestor.

Following that definition, it would seem that the tomato plant, which came forth from the Earth, might be called the "root of the Earth/World" or the "Stump of the World".

Jesus was called the "Stump of Jesse" because He came forth from the "Stump of Jesse". I would be surprised to hear any preachers referring to Jesus as the "Stump of the World", becasue he came forth from Heaven not from the World. But this great tomato plant may rightly have been called the "Stump of the World" because like the "Stump of Jesse" it was a prize stump, the best of it's kind. Since it came forth from the Earth or the world it was a prized stump from the world, a "Stump of the World".

NLight