Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-28
me Reign Of tho tomato.

Low toe tnif afternoon 0ts..sss. ~ ld
The Reign Of the Tomato.
A very interesting discussion is now in
progress in the columns Of the New York
Evening Post, melted by the following
statement OF It's Washington correspondent
IN recent issue. "The tomato was intro
duced from Peru, back in Civil War days
when ignorant people had an idea that it
was q poisonous plant"
Exception is taken to two assertions
herein contained. Fist, that the tomato
was introduced in this country from Peru;
second, that its introduction was so recent
as back in Civil War days"
A correspondent OF the Post who writes
from Indianapolis and signs himself
'"Hoosier." claims that investigation will
prove that the tomato was introduced
from Asia Minor, and not from Peru;
also, that no matter where it came from,
the date was early in the Nineteenth
Century. "My own memory goes back
several years before the Civil War" he
says, land the tomato was then a common
article Of food, both fresh and canned.
Hhave heard people Of the former genera
tion say that in their youth the plant was
cultivated as an ornament, the fruit,
which was called Love Apples" or
"Jerusalem Apples" being considered
poisonous, but the mistake must have
been discovered not later than "the
iorties' 1 once read story that the
captain Of a sailing vessel brought some
from Smyrna TO a New York hotel, the
Asior House, believe, where they we're
served for the first time in that city as an
edible, In order TO prove that they were
not poisonous The date was fixed as
before is4O, II memory is not at fault. "
"Hoosiors' letter was referred to Prof.
David Fairohild, the governments ex-
pert on plant and fruit introduction, who
asserted positively that the tomato was
introduced from Peru and that whenever
the Asia Minor people got il they must
have obtained it from the same source.
lie did not, however, advance any con-
clusion as TO the date of its introduction
here
There is ample authority for the claim
that for a long while after the tomato
was known and grown in this country il
was regarded as poisonous The state
ment by the correspondent Of the Even
ing Post, says that paper, was made on
the authority OF an English expert, Peter
Barr, who directed attention 10 a certain
scientific literature which recorded that
the plant was declared to be poisonous by
the Horticultural Society Of London in
1910. There is the further assertion Of
Barbour Lathrop OF Chicago who for six
yeas, and at his own expense, ransacl,ed
the httle-knovn countries Of the world to
lay hold upon plants and fruits unknown
60 America, but which might be found to
have possibilities Of development through
scientific cultivation In this country. Mr..
Barbour Is authority for the statemnet
that his brother-in-law, Thomas Nelson
Page, the author says that the popular
acceptance Of the poisonous character
Of the tomato plant was taken advantage
Of by slave-owners 70 frightcn their slaves
into obedience. These facts ocoasioned
the reference to "back in Civil War days
In the correspondence in question, when
the ignomnt slaves accepted the stories
Of the tomatoes poisonous character.
Evidence is not lacking that for many
years before the Civil War the tomato
was known in this country, and that il
was regarded as poisonous, and we are
able 70 quote oral testimony given by an
estimable woman who died in 1888. a,
the age Of "a yean. which made 1903
the year Of her birth. The writer well
recalls conversation with this woman on
the subject Of tomatoes, in the course OF
which she said that when she was a young
prl-approximately not later than 1926
tomatoes were grown in the yard Of hei
home in Montgomery county, Pa, but
7urely for ornamental purposes. They
Uere called Love Apples " and the reason
hey were not even thought Of as ar
HtNt"AH "A A"AA Hla1 NAAAt we were INlitIltN
as poisonous. She well recalls the thrill
ii horror which pervaded her home and
.he neighborhood when a wandering farm.
aand who had been employed for a few
1ays-a fronuhman-made good hi.
assertion that the "Love Apples" wor,
a. excellent article OF food by gathering
Tome and eating them both raw ana
cooked All who knew Of the dannr
deed expected the man to die quickly
but he experienced not the slightest dis.
comfort
Probably there are people in Delawan
who possess authentic information Of th,
lime when tomatoes came into genera
use as an article Of food in this state Il
%, Every Evening will be pleased t,
hear from them.