u/AlexanderDeGrape

Neal https://undark.org/2024/08/12/pawpaw-uncertain-path-for-emerging-crops/

This pic, signature & date are only in the Harvard Arnold Arboretum book copy that was judging the 1916 pawpaw contest.
James signed by James A Little
& Dated 13day July 1916, 2 months before mailing the book & pawpaw to Ernest Henry Wilson of Arnold Arboretum
Dated 3/09/15 register 'Early Bearing' & 'Ruby' Persimmons names & took the pic.
JAMES ALEXANDER LITTLE's father James Alexander Little,
is the one born in Cartersburg, not JAMES ALEXANDER LITTLE.
James Alexander Little died age 34, when JAMES ALEXANDER LITTLE was only 4 years old.
His mom (Corrilla Lilly Little) took James Jr back to Cartersburg.
(William Little & Sarah C. Downard ) are James Jr's Paternal Grandparents, not parents.
Because Uncle Tom is the cultivar of JAMES ALEXANDER LITTLE,
not James Alexander Little.
Okay?
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pawpaws/comments/1unmxw2/the_realjames_alexander_little_jr_not_the/

AI rendering of Kathy Dice (left) Tom Wahl (right) with 'Special'.
Special's fruits are actually about 1000grams avg.
The size of the Record holding Potomac, as an avg fruit size, every fruit.
Fruits 6 times the size of these fruits! per Timothy Lane.
They have color break, are firm, 28 Brix & it's heavy yield, so pruning compact is important.
Tom & Kathy are from a real photo.
the branch & fruit AI rendered.
cultivar available from Canopy!
It's the most promising cultivar in PawPaw history.
When a real pic is available, there will be a new post.
https://www.canopynursery.com/

In very limited supply.
On consignment with KSU, form divine sources.
Be sure & attend:
KSU's landmark Fifth International Pawpaw Conference,
on September 9–11, 2025, in Frankfort, Kentucky.
The future is looking bright.
AI HUMOR

Your thoughts? 🤔

I was using AI to search Newspaper & Magazine archive photos for Uncle Tom Seedlings & Grafted trees.
This is a 1885 greenhouse of Henry Kraemer.
James Alexander Little at age 15, so not Uncle Tom.
AI embellishment, usual when details are lacking.
The pawpaw seedlings of Henry Kraemer,
who was a prominent American Botanist & Pharmacognosist expert.
Pharmacognosists are experts in medicinal plants..
Henry Kraemer is the Owner of the greenhouse.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Kraemer
Doing research on dilute Sulfuric acid to control Phyllosticta
Not likely Uncle Tom as AI claimed.
PawPaw Seed Extract was common at the time.
your thoughts?

*** Important Detail***
"What I saw on the Santa Fe Trail",
Is a narration style memoir of James Alexander Little Sr,
By James Alexander Little Jr.
Because both names were "James Alexander Little" no "Jr or Sr"
or written as "James A. Little",
Many historians got them conflated & created new pseudo factual embellished documented lore posing as history.
There was many other James Alexander Little" in Cartersburg, at the same time.
The Wrong James Alexander Little of Cartersburg, Indiana list:
(7 November 1831–10 September 1906).
(7 November 1833–10 September 1908)
(15 November 1833–10 September 1908)
(7 November 1833–10 September 1906)
(c.1832–1910s)
(c.1832–1908)
Plus many additional ones with different months for birth & death.
it's multiple James Alexander Little, with multiple mistakes on each.

*** The Real James Alexander Little Jr, Asimina triloba hunter & horticulturalist.***
James Alexander Little Jr was born in 1870, 
43 miles from Santa Fe National Historic Trail Marker 1913.
And 46 miles from the Mormon Lore Eden with infamous trees,
where a different James A. Little nephew of Brigham Young,
loved the delicious PawPaw from Uncle Thomas Marsh's property, 
30 acres along Blue River, via Mormon revelation & Bishop Edward Partridge as stewardship inheritance in Zion, the (New Eden). 
Young's nephew is the wrong James A Little.
James Jr's father was born in Cartersburg, not James Jr.
When his dad, age 34, died, James was only 4 years old.
His mom (Corrilla Lilly Little) took Jame Jr back to Cartersburg.
(William Little & Sarah C. Downard ) are James Jr's Paternal Grandparents.
Not his parents as so many authoritative histories have falsely claimed for over a hundred years.
There were 2 additional (James Alexander Little) in Cartersburg, at the exact same time.
And history has conflated them into an enigmatic Chimera!
James Alexander Little Jr  (31 Dec 1870--27 Mar 1938),
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10761550/james_alexander-little
**James Alexander Little Sr (**Person is the Santa Fe Trail memoir) written by his son.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22190736/james_alexander-little
James Jr's Mom Corrilla: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22190780/corrilla-little
Corrilla's brother is Eli Lilly: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1903/eli-lilly
James Jr's cousin who he collaborates with on pawpaw, Josiah Kirby Lilly Sr. son of Colonel Eli Lilly.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27387804/josiah_kirby-lilly
Age 12: James Jr starts his Native American (PawPaw & Persimmon) cultivar hunting & seed planting.
Age 14: James Jr sub-contracted with "O. W. Stoughton" in the "1884 Tug-Fastener" (Patent No. 307,125) which is a historic equestrian hitch mechanism used in horse-drawn carriages and plows. It was designed to securely lock a horse’s trace (tug) to a whiffletree, improving safety by keeping the traces attached during a pull but easily unhooking when unhitching.
Age 15: Increased his Native American (PawPaw & Persimmon) cultivar hunting & seed planting.
Age 18: James's cousin Josiah K. Lilly Sr. son of Eli Lilly started selling "Asimina triloba Seed Extract" immediately after Eli Lilly dies in 1898.
Age 19: James designs, makes an innovative spade shovel, (U.S. Patent No. 400,923), highly sought-after structurally enhanced design, which increased the tool's strength, durability, functionality for agricultural & industrial use.
Age 20: 'Uncle Tom' is named. And James starts contacting professionals to facilitate exchange of genetic material like Uncle Tom & other premium seeds & scions..
Age 21: James researches chemicals, fertilizers & plant nutrients. 
Age 22: He starts experimenting with Gypsum, Lime Sulfur & unfortunately Lead Arsenate (PbHAsO₄) which is a highly toxic. 
Age 23: James is proactively using Gypsum for fertilizer which is awesome & Lead Arsenate as insecticide & fungicide, then eating the sweet poison. 
Age 25: Transferred 35 trees to Judge Hadley of Danville, Indiana in October 1895, as a regularly spaced premium pawpaw orchard.
Transitions to a (Pawpaw & Persimmon) horticulturist & breeder, Cartersburg, Indiana
Continues planting premium seeds from the wild, others & from his own trees.
Grafts superior scions to the none superior seedlings.
Nov 27th Jame's son Elwood is born. 
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45961218/elwood_stephenson-little
Age 27: Focuses on the persimmons after doing a 2nd large pawpaw orchard.
Age 30: James's daughter Esther is born.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129337979/esther_lilly-devers
James contacts Benjamin Buckman for exchange of ideas & Uncle Tom genetics. James wants to improve rootsocks & Tom root sucker cloning. Benjamin Buckman Estate was found by AI using the legal land description on Benjamin Buckman property deed. Zillow lot size claim, plus documented road frontage equals the size claimed in historical records cited by KSU. Please respect the current owners rights, don't trespass! Original fruit trees are not going to be alive after more than 130 years.
Age 31: James's son Philip is born.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45961253/philip_sheridan-little
Age 34: James writes "What I saw on the Santa Fe Trail."
This is a narration style biography about James Alexander Little Sr,
By James Alexander Little Jr
James Alexander Little Jr was born in 1870, 
43 miles from Santa Fe National Historic Trail Marker 1913.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10761550/james_alexander-little
Age 35: James's daughter Alice is born in winter. James has to spend more time inside & writes another book.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88609377/alice_downard-west
Age 35: "The Pawpaw (Asimina Triloba): A Native Fruit of Great Excellence".
Age 35: 1905 "A Treatise on the Pawpaw"
Age 36: James contacts W.B. Sims Greenhouse & Nursery, Meridian Street, Newberg, Oregon.
(45°18'21.3"N 122°58'17.3"W)
W.B Sims planted 5K pawpaw seeds, 4K from James & 1K from someone else & got 2K seedling.
41 years late wild are found less than 3 miles from where Uncle Tom seedling breeding was being done.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pawpaws/comments/1uhbtem/2_uncle_tom_seedlings_believed_found_18_diameter/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Pawpaws/comments/1ukwat2/ford_amend_found_in_the_wild_outside_of_portland/
Age 36: James's daughter Evelyn is born.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74841007/evelyn_m-pyle
Age 37: James Alexander Little Jr & W.B Sims jointly contact Pomologist Walter Raymond Ballard, Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station.
They are wanting to facilitate grants for pawpaw nursery greenhouses in many states.
W.B Sims already has the land & greenhouses, but they are full of other rare plants. 
Sims wants funding for specialized pawpaw greenhouses! 
Neal Peterson says that if they get time, Rod might be able to help us find out what went on between (Sims/Little/USDA) thing.
Rodney Dever is currently helping PawPawMaster Neal finishing 3 academic scientific papers, the PPF 5-5 which is becoming a named cultivar, plus Peterson's F3 interspecific pawpaw getting name recording as Kanawha.
Rodney Dever has been one of the most important individuals in pawpaw history!
Age 38: James Alexander Little Jr attempts to get (Bacteriologist & Malariologist) Marshall Albert Barber of Kansas State University, to do research on PawPaw Seed Extract as infection treatment. This is of great interest to James's cousin Josiah K. Lilly Sr, owner of Eli Lilly & Company. 
James contacts Professor Paul Brockett "Smithsonian US Bureau of Plant Industry Records Unit 45" about documenting his work with pawpaw & persimmon.
Age 39: James's son Elmer was born on 26 Feb 1909 in Cartersburg, Indiana, 3 years after James is claimed
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/99778012/elmer_francis-little
James is (DIED) in other historical accounts, but it's a different James Alexander Little.
Age 40: James's health is declining, plus his wife is pregnant, 
so move wife & family close to his wife's parents in Indianapolis June 1910. 
James's son Gustavus was born Sept 19th, 1910, Indianapolis near the historic home of Colonel Eli Lilly. 
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129160453/gustavus_robin-little
Age 45:  James Alexander Little Jr gets photographed.
He looks to be old, however had been consuming fruit treated with Lead Arsenate for 23 years.
Documented in advice "The Pawpaw (Asimina Triloba): A Native Fruit of Great Excellence".
James gets his 'Early Bearing' & 'Ruby' Persimmons named.
Age 46: James glued his 03/09/1915 photograph of himself into "The Pawpaw (Asimina Triloba): A Native Fruit of Great Excellence" and signed the book. 
James mails the book, with Uncle Tom, to the Pawpaw contest for Ernest Henry Wilson. 
https://arboretum.harvard.edu/research/library/visual-archives/ernest-henry-wilson-and-the-trees-of-new-england/
James didn't win the contest, nor did he & Sims get grant money, 
nor did they successfully talk (Bacteriologist & Malariologist) Marshall Albert Barber into researching pawpaw seed extract on disease.
Josiah K. Lilly Sr  starts company transition away from plant based to modern scientific chemicals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josiah_K._Lilly_Sr.
Age 53: James's cousin Josiah K. Lilly Sr, discontinues Asimina Seed Extract as a product.
James focuses deeply on his family until dies at age 67. 
All of James & Corrilla kids stay in Indianapolis near their mother's Siblings & their descendants, until their death.
James simply moved to a different city & stopped being a Horticulturalist.
He didn't die in 1906 nor 1908 as claimed.
This was & is the (REAL)
James Alexander Little Jr  (31 Dec 1870--27 Mar 1938)

**** THIS IS A LIVING POST THAT WILL BE CONSTANTLY UPDATED***

Ford Amend medium-sized, oblong fruit featuring green-to-greenish-yellow skin with smooth, custard-like, and melt-in-your-mouth sweet Vanilla Banana, Pineapple flavor with no wild notes.
Very early ripening even in the North & blooms even with low chill.
Discovered 41 years after W.B. Sims was breeding with 2K seedlings 75% of which were (Uncle Tom) seedlings.
Found near Willamette River, which is a windy river 2 to 3 miles South of the former Sims Nursery.
Exact Historical Name:
W.B. Sims Greenhouse & Nursery, Meridian Street, Newberg, Oregon
Where Newberg Area, Habitat for Humanity Restore, is currently located.
45°18'21.3"N 122°58'17.3"W
approx 801 N Meridian St, Newberg, OR 97132
Property has been rezoned & subdivided.
Possible granddaughter of Uncle Tom.
Unknown if the area searched for other (Uncle Tom) granddaughters.
This is a mild flavored cultivar like Shenandoah, but sweet & mushy like Mango.
Definitely not the biggest or the best, but a piece of unique history of PawPaw past.
Looks like something from James Alexander Little Jr might have survived.
Could the other historic pawpaw in Portland be related?
Stay tuned as we will be working with Oregon Heritage Tree Program to find out.

Benjamin Buckman actually had 2 properties.  
(Pleasant Plains & Cartwright) Townships, Sangamon, Illinois.
Farmingdale is where he was buried. Not where he lived.
He had over 1,700 cultivars.
At he death unlikely Uncle Tom would have been noticed.

your thoughts??

Calcium Map USA
blue is Calcium Low
Yellow Calcium just right
orange & red, Calcium to high, so adjust (Potassium &or Magnesium)
Calcium
https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2017/5118/sir20175118_element.php?el=20
Potassium
https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2017/5118/sir20175118_element.php?el=19
Magnesium
https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2017/5118/sir20175118_element.php?el=12
In those areas where all three are high, please tag me & lets troubleshoot.

Kirk Pomper once said PPF 7-90 had better flavor than all the other 37 PPF cultivars.
fruits are 200grams
Ray Schlaanstine in West Chester, Pennsylvania around 1960, developed "RS-2".
Pomper used "RS-2" to make PPF 7-90.  
KSU website says: "Trees grown from RS-2 genetics generally produce moderate to large oblong berries with a creamy, tropical-tasting flesh that resembles a blend of banana, mango, and pineapple".
PPF 7-90 was the best tasting of all the RS-2 seedlings & roundish egg shape rather than oblong & seedy.
All online information claiming PPF 7-90 was a "K2" seedling, are wrong, even me.
A new post will be created.

These are 2 possible seedlings of (Uncle Tom) seedlings--Cultivar of James A Little Sr.
7 old PawPaw were found in Portland historic homes areas today.
JAMES A. LITTLE Sr, Pawpaw and Persimmon Culturist Cartersburg, Indiana.
W.B Sims a horticulturist of Newberg Oregon, who planted 5,000 seeds, 4K from James A Little Jr
At least 2,000 seedlings sprouted.
Or seedlings of Dr Sims (Uncle Tom) seedlings from his 1908 breeding.
W.B Sims was recognized in regional trade publications like The American Florist for his excellent greenhouse crops and production of aster seeds. W.B Sims specialized in greenhouse crops and was well-regarded for cultivating and supplying high-quality flower seeds W.B Sims was in early editions of the Newberg Graphic open-pollinated heirloom Peace Lily seedlings W.B Sims held educational classes at the Newberg Public Library.
These trees found in Historic Portland, where Sims was selling.
W.B Sims was attempting to get a USDA grant for a franchise of Uncle Tom pawpaw nurseries across America.
If Rodney Dever gets time, he may help investigate the newspaper article claim about the nurseries in 1908
Rodney Dever is currently helping Neal complete 3 scientific papers & his interspecific pawpaw breeding.
James A Little Sr started his PawPaw breeding long before 1890 & had collected seeds of Native American cultivars for over 10 years before the breeding.
James A Little Sr had planted 2 professional orchards prior to him & his son James A Little Jr, working with Sims.
James Little Jr sent seeds to:
Professor Ballard of the Maryland Horticulture Station & Professor Brocket "US Bureau of Plant Industry" & Professor A Barber of Kansas State University & the Honorable Benjamin Buckman of Illinois were all in direct communication with both (Sims & J.A. Little Jr) regarding their collaborative venture.
Sims was selling seedlings & inbred crosses of Uncle Tom Seedlings.
Sidewalk is 54" wide. This makes the trunks about 18" in diameter.
The trees bloom more heavy than Prima but don't set much fruit.
Probably too genetically similar.
Breeding group needs someone in Portland to politely request from the owner info about the tree's history
& possible ring core count, if the trees deemed healthy enough for a ring count test.
Plus fruit & scion wood, if possible.
(Uncle Tom) is America's 1st named cultivar, developed in the late 1800s.
Find out if owner has any info on the trees.
Anyone interested?
Do we have member near Portland?

Lots of medium size fruits on a vigorous tree. Parent of Big Ben which is (Maria's Joy x JBG) Big Ben has giant fruits, milder more complex flavor.

A. triloba 'Adam's Wowee'
Tom Wahl, pre-2026; Wapello, Iowa
{'Shenandoah' x 'Susquehanna'}
Print reference: Found in AFFN database 2026
Cultivar name registered 2026; name established and accepted.
Available Jan 1, 2027.
Expected to sell out in under an hour.
List will be updated between Christmas & the 1st.
Corner Pocket it's awesome sibling that tastes better than Regulus & Canopus,
will also be added.
A. triloba 'Corner Pocket'
Tom Wahl, pre-2026; Wapello, Iowa
{'Shenandoah' x 'Susquehanna'}
Print reference: Found in AFFN database 2026
Cultivar name registered 2026; name established and accepted
Get you membership in December & check the site after Christmas to make sure opening Date & time haven't changed!!!
https://redfernfarm.com/index.php/product/pawpaw-scion-wood/

https://preview.redd.it/lslh2672yn8h1.png?width=1600&format=png&auto=webp&s=5833cc123cf2965b2fc38201e0844809c787c41e

4 new cultivars by Ted Weeden's pawpaws, grafted by Timothy Lane & James Dingus.
3 are (Rappahannock x Sunflower) those in the pics
fruit is (Rappahannock x Shenandoah)
No info on quality, they are low seed.
https://www.phillyorchards.org/2020/10/02/ted-the-pawpaw-fanatic/

PPF 5-5 is a lot like Susquehanna, but slightly smaller, earlier, with much bigger yields!
Grows much faster & bolts to about 35ft tall, very vigorous.
Fruits have lots of smaller seeds that are cylinder or torpedo shaped. Fruitstone. Very thick skins. Uniform oval fruit size like Mwab, but no color break. Intensely sweet, extremely complex, vibrant flavor & aroma.
Thrives where Potomac & Susquehanna are challenged.