The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-05-29
Is POPULAR FOOD PlANTs

WHAT great discover the touaa:
TO was as an article OF food. While
most food plants are Of comparatively
ancient origin, there are plenty OF PEG
pie living today who can remember
when II was only cultivated Tor the
beauty Of its dainty blossoms and
handsome fruit While it's beauty was
admired. it was considered like the
poisonous oak, dangerous to even
handle except by dark Completed"
persons. Years OF mountaineering.
however. wore of its superstition and
a few -foolhardy- actually owned
up to having tasted the fruit.
From this small beginning, has
gradually grown use that makes to-
day an industry with combined capital
an industry with combined capital
of over thirty millions Of dollars.
which discusses millions of dollars to
its employees each year and agra
gates an output Of two hundred and
and forty million cans This product
goes into every household in the land
and is as familiar an article OF diet. as
any other Of the staple products Of
the soil. Each year sees an increasing
consumption and the more intimate
the acquaintance the greater the use.
The reason sor this IS very obvious.
There is no better appetizer and as
an article OF seasoning the tomato tn
parts a taste that cannot be initiated.
It Is so distinctive that its presence
can be located even in minute parti-
cles. yet the punSency has everything
that delights the palate and nothing
that offends the rostril.
The growth of its general popular
ity dates back to the time OF the first
successful packing houses. When the
use OF the tomato as a food. was es-
tablished. demand made it necessary
to have a cheap price than the local
market gardener could afford. and to
meet this the tin can as a dimin-
Usher of space was called into re-
QUESTION. 1t was found much cheaper
proporronately to raise one thousand
bushels than ten so by the aid Of the
tin can the cook product could be plac-
ed on the consumers table at q price
on the consumers table at a price
so reasonable as to enable its daily
use. Moreover, the article put in the
can is bought fresh picked from the
field. Theoretically sealed ana imme-
diately sterelized by heat. while the
uncanned fruit is frequently shipped
for hundreds Of miles before It is used
as food. This artificia1ly ripened fruit
must be gathered green and the red
color it finally assumes is the wither-
ing of hungry tissues that should have
fed the fruit with the red noUrishinS
juice that comes from the soil and by
the aid Of Mother Nature is thus
transformed. No preservative is used
There is nothing so healthy as this
rich ripe fruit dumped out Of the
clean white can ready for use The
taste is equal to the fresh fruit and
every semb1ance Of waste in shape
OF rind or core has been removed.
Eat ite-why the very sight and smell
are irresistible. and the most inSiS-
tent appetite can be stated because Of
its absolute harmlessness. Its health
AAh4ASSS AdS ACsS4 cCCu a(SoSrSo <aA4o
the rich juices colored as the life
giving fluid act as a tonic even for
the invalid stomach. There IS no
home where its visits are not vel
come. and the table OF either the mill
| ionaire or peasant is alike familiar
| with its presence. AS Indian corn, it
is distinctly of American origin. and
proud indeed can we be of both of
these excellent food plants.