The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-15
The Tomato's History,

In planting gardens this spring, careshouid
be taken to have good supply of that
bealthful vegetable the tomato, both for sum-
mer uee and for putting up tor next winter.
The tomato which ia OF the same family with
the Dightshade, is, like the potato. of South
American origin, and was introduced into
Europe by tina Spanierds in the sixteenth
century, WHO discovered its valuable qusli-
ties ss an escHlent. From Spain its cuitiva.
ton extended to Italy and the south of
France, and finally TO this country. where it
first began to be used as vegetable in the
latter part of the last century.
The tomato is mentioned by a writer on
plants, in Epgland, as early ss 1897 Parkin-
son calls them love apples' in 1856, and
says they were regarded as curiosities " Do
dozens, Dutch herbalist, writes in 1888 of
their use as q vegetable Ito be eaten with
the Malays in 1866. Arthur Young, the En-
glIsh 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, VINO
also introduced into this country the egg
plant and the small Chilli pepper. DR.. James
Tilton, of Delaware. stated that when he
returned from Europe, in 1902, he found the
tomato growing in the gardens of the Do
ponte Goresches and other French emf
grants from San Domingo. and remarked to
his family that it was q vegetable highly
esteemed and generally eaten in France,
Spain and Italy, and especially valuable as q
corrector Of bile In the system. DR.. Tilton
emigrated To Madison, Ind, in 1920. and
raised the tomato in his garden there. It
was then unknown In Louisville or the ad-
jacent parts of Kentucky.
1t is also known that 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 epicureau
delicacies. MANY years elapsed, however,
before the tomato became favorite esculent
in that region. In 1911 the Spanish Minister
, saw the tomato growing in the garden of
Mrs. Philip Barton Key, whose husband
wrote the Star Spangled Banner" and he
recommended it as having bean used in
Spain for many years. In lS14. gentleman
dining with friend at Herper's Ferry and
observing tomatoes on the table. remarked:
see you eat tomatoes here; the District peo-
pie sre afraid of them"
Tomatoes were brought to Massachusetts,
by DR.. William Goodwin. son of William
Goodwin, cashier of the Bank OF Plymouth,
Macs. DIR. Goodwin spent many years of
his early life in Spain, at Cadiz. Allcant and
Valencia, and was American Vice Consul at
Tarragona during its terrible siege by the
French troops in the Peninsulsr War. He
| came home to Plymouth in 1917, and died
| in Havana in 1925. 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
| Laureps sailed for Holland in 1850, was re-
| nowned for the excellence OF her cuisine.
| he planted the seed of the tomato in the
| bank gsrden in Plymouth, whence the plan
/ was disseminated throughout the town and
| to Clark's Island, in Plymouth Harbor. In
Mr.. Goodwin's family and that of Mr.. Wat
son, on the island, it was used ss q vegetable
| as early as 1928.
Tomatoes were sold at the markets in New
| York City in 1920. They were only eaten,
however, to limited extent, being generally
used for the manufacture of cstsup. As
| early as 1926 the tomato was served mp on
the table OF good old Mrs. Halliburton. 10
(; New Hampshire. although she could seldo N
induce her boarders to partake of it. Her
husband, Captain Halliburton, had doubt.
less imbibed taste for II In Spain.