The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-05-13
The Tomato,s History.


In planting gardens this spring. care should
be taken to have good supply of that
heslthful vegetable the tomato, both for sum-
mer uee and for putting up for next winter.
The tomato which is Of the same family with
the nightshade, is like the potato. of South
American origin, and Eas introduced into
Europe by tina Spaniards in the sixteenth
century, who discovered its valuable quail
ties as an esc1lent. From Spain its c1ltiva.
ton extended to Italy aud the south Of
France, and finally to this country, where it
inst began to be used as vegetable in the
latter part of the last century.
The tomato is mentioned By 8 writer on
plants, in England, as early as 1897. Parkin-
con calls them love apples in 1866, and
says "they were regarded as curiosities Do
Goens, Dutch herbslist. writes in 1888 OF
their use IS vegetable. ITO be eaten with
pepper. salt and OIL" They were eaten by
the Malays in 1855. Arthur Young, the En-.
gllsh agricultUrist saw tomatoes in the mar
ket at Montpelier. in France, in 1893
The tomato was probably brought from
San Domingo by the French refugees, who
also IN trodCced into this country the egg
plant and the small Chill pepper. DR.. James
nlton of Delaware. stated that when he
returned from Europe, in 1902, he found the
tomato growing in the gardens of the Du-
points. Goresches and other French emil
grants from San Domingo. and remarked TO
his family that IL was q vegetable highly
Spain and Italy, and especially valuable as a
eorTector of bile in the system. DR. elton
emigIated to Madison, Ind, in 1929 and
raised the tomato in his garden there It
wss then unknown in Louisville or the ad-
jacent psrts of Kentucky.
IL is also known tha. the tomato was
planted early IN the present century on the
eastern shore of Maryland. that land OF ter
rapins soft crabs, oysters and other epicuresn
delicscies. Many years elapsed, however,
before the tomato became favorite ssculent
in that region. In 1S11 the Spanish Minister
saw the tomato growing in the garden OF
MIS- Philip Barton Key, whose husband
wrote the ''Stsr Spangled Banner" and he
recommended it ss having been used in
Spain for many years. In 1914, q gsntlsmsn
dining with friend at Harper's Ferry and
observing tomatoes on the table. remarked:
see you eat tomatoes here; the District pso-
pie are afraid of them"
Tomstoes were brought to Massachusetts,
by DR.. William Goodwin. son of William
Goodwin, cashier OF the Bank OF Plymouth,
Mass. DR.. Goodwin spent many years of
his early life in spain, ut Cadiz. Allcant and
Valencia, and was American Vice Consul at
Tsrrsgona during it's terrible siege By the
French troops in the Peninsulsr War. He
came home 70 Plymouth in 1917, and died
in Havana in 1875. He belonged to family
of epicures on his fathers side, and his
mother, daughter of Simeon Sampson, of
the armed ship Mercury, on which Henry
Lsurens sailed for Holland in 1880. was re-
n0wned for the excenence OF her cuisine
he planted the seed Of the tomato in the
bank garden In Plymouth, whence the plant
was disseminated throughout the town and
70 Clsrk's Island, in Plymouth Hsrbor. In
Mr.. Goodwin's family and that OF Mr.. Wat.
SOD, on the island, it was used as o vege table
ae early IS 1873
Tomatoes were sold ct the markets in New
York City in 1890. They were only eaten,
however, 70 . limited extent, being generally
used for the manufacture of cs9up. As
early as 1896 the tomato was served up on
fbe liable of good old Mrs. Halliburton. in
New Hsmpsbire, although she could seldom