The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-08
M E N, w 0 M B N
 A ND T HIN c s

IT one uses dictionaries, ency- clopedias. hand books and reference works he soons learns that it is not only doctors who disagree, for their Is such a variance of opinion among the authorities quoted in them as to make a searcher after truth skepticaI concerning any question he may be looking up.
 For example, l wanted to get a line on the humble tomato, and went first to the Encyclopedia Brittanica and read: 'Iti is a tender annual, na- tive of South America, probably Peru. The fruit Is much esteemed in salads and as a vegetable. Efforts have been made to popularize it as a des- sert, with varying success"
 then tried what I consider a re- liable hand book and saw the fol- lowing statement: Tt seems to have been long known in Africa. where it was held in high esteem by tribes recently discovered. It was known to the Malays for centuries" Other encyclopedias, however, hold to the South America theory as to it's orig inal home.
 But as thls is not to be the history of the tomato, but an appreciation of tomato raiser, I will, so to speak, leave it's origin and home up in the air without trying to settle the ques- tion as to whether it is native of Africa or South America, for all am at present interested in is that it has been brought to America, where | it is grown to perfection.
 The other night my phone rang, and on taking up the receiver my good friend S. J. Pulliam, professor of Greek and Latin at Howard col lege, said: Barnett, I've git the fin- est lot of tomatoes I have ever grown, and I believe it's the finest patch in the world" I replied, I'm from Missouri; you'll have to show me-" He answered, Alright, come out and SC for yourself.'
 Now, I had known for some years | that raising tomatoes was a hobby of Professor Pulliam, and that he had had remarkable success with them, and suspicioning that he had something to show me. I got Baird, The Age-Herald staff photographer, to go out with me so that I could offer 8 picture in evidence to bolster up any story I might write about what I had seen. You can see 1t for yourself in this issue.
 It has been long time since l have seen anything in the way of gardening which has so impressed me, for Professor Pulliam is anxious to show his patch and explain his methods to gardeners and truckers, believing that in so doing he will l be adding to the wealth of the Bir- mingham district in the production 1 of more and a better type of to- mato which will come in early and ond planting.
 1 He bought the old Dill place at SOIL Underwood avenue. East Lake. His patch covers about one-twelfth of an acre, and out of it he has already sold $50 worth, and has req son to believe that before 1t Is ex- hausted he will get from $150 to $200. He is confident that he can produce and sell s1,000 worth on an acre if he only had the time and the energy to give the plants proper care after having prepared the ground to re- ceive them.
 The drouth put his method to the acid test, as his patch kept produc- ing the finest specimens. while all about him the plants of others were whitening under the blistering sun He picked dozen beauties for me off of one plant, and left several times as many on it as was taken from it. The best thing about it was that on the plant were blooms and tomatoes of all sizes. His method does not force the plants to bear all at one time, thereby making 1t nee essary to use them up quickly or glut the market.
 1 I think it Is rather a remarkable thing that Professor Pulliam should have hit on and stuck to his way of raising tomatoes, for too often the gentleman gardener takes gardening up as fad and soon tired of it; but he is not merely spring and sum mer, but is also fall gardener which in the last analysis is the true test of mans fondness for plant ing. tending and gathering vege- tables. While he expects his spring tomato patch to run him through until Octobr, he has already dug the holes, put in the manure and placed the stakes for his fall patch. Tn giving under the picture his method of planting.
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