Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-08-29
When Fruit Is Vegetab1e-By Frederic j. Haskin

basis of soup, thy are used as vegetable
well when ripe as when green rms is
the principal use to which they are put"
The watermelon case was argued few
years later along similar lines. Watermelons
were being shipped up from Mexico to Arl-
IONA. AS green fruits were on the free list
in the tariff schedule the dealers went to law
to prove that watermelon is a green fruit
This time restaurant menus were brought
into court to show that hotels classify water
melon among fruits and desserts. The main
argument against the watermelon as fruit
was that the seeds are commonly listed
among vegetable seeds. Yet the watermelon
is sold by dealers as a fruit. The court made
the obvious decision. - 3:
If dessert is the key word, it might logical
ly be asked whether pumpkins are not fruit
They are certainly used to great extent In
pie which is certainly dessert; The depart
ment of agriculture merely smiles at this sug-
gestion. Pie, pickles and preserves are man
ufactured products, it seems, and 1t would
be :mpracticable to reclassify an agricultural
product on the basis Of what can be manu-
featured from it.
Now Comes the Avocado
Perhaps the latest controversy on this sub
ject occurred over the avocado Because the
avocado is called the alligator pear In this
country there was an argument as to whether
it should come under the paragraph in tariff
law providing a certain rate for pears. 1t
was finally decided that it is a misnomer
to call the avocado pear.
1t was further brought out that while this
tropical fruit may be eaten as fruit it is rare
ly used as a dessert. In this country 1t is
almost invariably served as a salad, and
some confectioneries specifically mention
salad as basic part of meal, which seem
to make the alligator pear vegetable. But
no; it was assigned to the general section of
the tariff law fixin3 the rate on fruits in the
natural state not otherwise provided for"
A tariff act generally mentions specifically
the most common fruits and vegetables and
fixes a rate on each. The rest are bulked
together in several paragraphs One sets
the rate on vegetables in their natural state
and not specially provided for" Another par
agraph may state the rate on vegetables II
cut sliced or otherwise reduced in size, or II
parched or roasted, or if picked or packed in
| SALT brine, oil, or prepared or preserved In
any other way and not specially provided
for
Where trouble has occurred 1t is in in
terpreting the law. One judge pointed out
that the court must try to determine what
congress had in mind when it said green
fruits.
In the future if there are any controver-
sizes they may be expected to arise over new
or unusual products such as the avocado. The
tomato and its garden associates will prob
ably stay classified-but only so far as this
country is concerned. If you go abroad you
may find different ideas regarding vegetables
and fruits prevailing.
At the last Paris exposition Strawberries
and pineapples were located among the vege-
tables in accordance with the practice in
France It is the custom there to judge these
products with the vegetables, mainly be-
cause they were grown in the same gardens.