Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-02-24

i've Yankee from the rocky soil of New
England, where he had scarcely ever
even heard Of the ague, settled near one
| of our western streams where the land
was rich, and consequently miasma
abounded. He, as well as his entire
family, was taken with the ague. or
chills and fever. 1t SO happened that a
lot of Tomato plants came up around his
house, and to use his own language, he
thought "them devilish critters" had
made his whole family sick. But how
to get rid of them was what puzzled
him; being afraid to touch them for fear
of getting "pisened," he procured pole
some six or eight feet long, on which he
put a hoe and cut them down. He then,
with long handled fork, carried them
off and'threw them into the river.
1t so happened that his family soon
got well, and he as religiously-as some
persons believe wheat will turn to chess
believed the tomatoes were "pisen." +"
Imagine his horror, as he said to the
writer, the next he saw of them, people
were eating them. ..id s,7.a
Il have been somewhat doubtful
whether to call the part of this plant we
eat, fruit or vegetable. ....
Mrs, Lincoln says in her Botany: The
I" term fruit in common language, is linn
tied to opulpy fruits, which are proper for
food" and again she says: "The fruit
is an annual part of the plant. which ad-
heres to the flower and succeeds it; and
after attaining maturity, detaches itself
from the parent plant, and on being
placed in the bosom of the earth, gives
birth to new vegetable. In common
language the fruit includes both the
pericarp and seed. The term pericarp,
comes from two words peri, around, and
karpos, fruit, and means the seed vessel
or whatever contains or surrounds the
seed. These definitions would seem to
warrant us in calling the tomato fruit.
In a limited sense a culinary vegetable
isa plant of which we use the principal
part for food. as the cabbage tribe or let
tuce, &c. In general sense vegetable
is any plant or tree growing out of, and
deriving its nourishment from the earth.
This would of course include the tomato,
as well as all tree fruits. The fact seems
to be, that fruits and Vegetables run SO
into each other, so as to make it some-
what difficult to draw the lines Of dis
tinction. * z
il5ei Jos VARIETIES.
These are almost endless and continu-
ally increasing; among which may be
named Cherry, Fig, Pear or Bell, Smooth
and Apple, all of which, are of both col
ors. red and yellow.
Then we have "Perfected,"ra purple
variety, solid and pretty good. Tilden,
a worthless variety. have raised
largely of the large smooth red Tomato,an
excellent variety, which is only excelled
by the improved purple, crop between
the last named and the perfected. This
purple appears to possess all
the virtues of both its parents, without
the faults of either. 1t is as smooth as
the smooth red, ripens as evenly and as
well, is full as early, as sprightly and
lively to the taste, produces as abund-
antly, and is as firm, and will bear car
riage as well as the perfected. Its bright
ness of color makes it very attractive
to the eye; in fact, it is both pretty and
very good, and seems to possess more
desirable qualities than any othertarie-
ty yet grown, at least in Central Ohio.
For the earliest crop sow your seeds
in a hot bed from the middle of Febru-
ary to the first of March. After the
plants have attained some three inches
in height, transplant them into other hot
beds; setting them four or five inches
apart each way, thus giving them room
to make stalky plants. One such plant
is worth more than a dozen poor ones.
As the weather grows warm, give air,
water and light freely. Some three
weeks before setting out in the field, ex-
pose to the air and sun as much as posi-
Be, only returning the glass in cool
or windy weather. When all danger
If frost is over, say about May goth, set
,ut in garden or field in rows both ways
making your rows seven or eight feet
apart. The better your land the wider
your rows should be. Don't fear vast
ng your good land with tomatoes set so
far apart, for they will cover the ground
before the first of August.
So treated they spread evenly over the
and; they require no polling, brushing or
icing up. Are not affected by winds or
storms; ripen evenly and well, and are of
The very best flavor and quality.
The fruit should not be gathered until
It is perfectly ripe. 1t then looses all
taste of the vine, is pright-
"; and no vegetable or fruit is more
healthy, especially in districts where
feyers prevail. ..4l
In saving seed, care should be taken
20 save mons from vines that bear rough
and Objectionable specimens; or, indeed,
rom any vines that have such near
hem; then be careful to take the earliest
.ipened perfect fruit, from the center
stalk, and your Tomatoes will continue
% improve from year to year.-Farmer's
Chronicle.