Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-18
FRUIT OR VEGETABLE.
Renewal Of the Everlasting Question
Concerning the Tomato.

Renewal or the Everlasting SueStlon
Concerning the Tomato.
The season has arrived. as somebody
reminds us, for the annual controversy
as to whether the tomato is vegetable
or fruit We imagine that vegetar-
ians and fruitarians become especially
heated over this problem and that
many an exciting debate occurs when
ever representatives Of these two op-
posing cults come into juxtaposition.
Speaking from a broad but shallow
garden experience, we Should say that
this question does not really become a
problem until the fruit or vegetable or
whatever it Is comes to the able. In
the intermediate stage Of its Urban ex-
periences, that is to say in the markets,
we find the tomato treated with all the
exalted consideration that Is bestowed
upon the choicest fruits. 1t Is put up
in small baskets, like strawberries or
hot-house peaches, and invested with
an air of quiet elegance that commands
great respect. If these chaste and deli
cate conditions failed sufficiently to In
form the curious consumer the price
affixed Is quite enough to determine
tho matter. The price declares plainly
that the tomato Is fruit
However, prices are Lot altogether
conclusive in these days. 1t is difficult
under modern conditions to determine
the status Of anything on this basis
There are various products OF which
the botanical status could hardly be
decided by the commercial evidence.
There are cucumbers, for example. BY
the price one might be justified In as
suming that q cucumber was some
species Of imported melon. Structur-
ely, too, for that matter. perhaps it
might be argued that a cucumber Is
more like a melon than it is like any
thing else. Anyway. it has certain
features that make it moro fruit-like
than vegetable-like. And certainly the
price, early in the season, approx
mates that Of grapefruit.
It would seem plain that the tomato
is not the only article capable OF pro-
viding a controversy as to whether 1t
Is fruit or vegetable. We know how
W, think of it when It H. in the mar
ket and classed with early peaches
in the matter Of price. and we know
also how the rnarketmen treat 1t. very
tenderly, as they would cny fruit. You
never see tomatoes lying around care
lessly, as you often see potatoes, par
ships, summer squash, cauliflower and
even most Of the asparagus The peo-
pie Of the market treat a tomato de-
Ecately.
Their attitude is due in great meas
ure, Of course, to ordinary prudence.
A tomato that is treated roughly or
disrespectfully is quite likely to retail
ate. It Is an exceedingly boomerangy
object, and If it's blushing delicacy is
offended it has q way Of distributing
itself over the contiguous landscape in
an altogether disconcerting way. The
effective radius Of bursting tomato Is
often surprising, and the efforts are
noted for their high visibility. Market
men are not inclined to take hazardous
chances.
And apparently the growers CT to-
matoes are equally indifferent. The
question, 1t seems, does not become a
controversial problem until the tomato
reaches the consumer. Then. as fire.
quent,y manifested, there is torment
ing uncertainty as to whether the to-
mato is fruit or vegetable. Personally,
we have always been inclined to split
the credit fifty-fifty. and view The to-
mato as convient hybrid susceptible
to either classi1cation.-F H. Young In
Providence Journal.