Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1938-08-05
The Market
Basket
AUGUST TOMATOES FOR HEALTH,
ECONOMY, VARIETY
by
Bureau of Home Economics, u. S.
Department of Agriculture

The story of how the poisonous
love apple" became a highly priced
food, is unique in vegetable history.
Carried to Europe from tropical
America in the Sixteenth Century, the
tomato was at first cautious. y accept
ed Then for nearly 400 years the
world shared the opinion of an early
botanist who described the vegetable
as having "little nourishment for the
body, and the same naught and cor
rupt." Although popular for it's color
and flavor for many years, the tomato
did not win recognition as an import
ant food until after the discovery of
it's vitamin value some Is years ago.
Summer of 1888 finds the tomato
more secure than ever in it's lofty
place in popular and scientific esteem.
The 10 million bushels of tomatoes
grown for market in 1918 have been
doubled, with a consistent year by
year increase. Nearly IL times as
many tomatoes were processed by
commercial canneries last year as
when the first canning records were
kept in 1885. From small beginnings
in 1929, the production of commercial
tomato juice increased over u times.
Last years output totaled more than
16 million cases (nearly 400 million
cans).
Wake earncrs consume their share
of the tomato crop, dietary studies re-
Gently completed by the Bureau of
Home Economics indicate. Pre.imi-
nary reports of these studies show
that white families of employed work.
ers in cities in three widely separated
regions of the country, used an aver
age Of about 81 to 81 pounds of fres!,
and canned tomatoes and tomato
juice for every man, woman, and
child during a 12-month period in
1856. Y
August and September are the
months for fresh tomatoes in a ma
jority of American homes. During
these months local gardens come into
heavy bearing throughout the North
and West; while some of the central
and southern fields are still yielding
enough for the family table.
Late summer prices are usually
within reach of families with a very
limited food budget. Tomato prices
usually tumble in June and July and
SI1 Int lOCh tHC OOuAIL
as whole-in August and September.
The tomato still holds it's unique
place among vegetables as a valuable
source of vitamin G, which must be
supplied daily as it cannot be stored
in the body. The value of the toma-
to as a source of this vitamin is bas-
ed on the fact that it's supply of G
Is not lost by cooking or canning. In
addition it can be prepared in 50
many ways that the hon1emaker cas-
lily persuades her family to consume
large quantities. Tests made by the
Bureau Of Home Economics indicate
that none of the vitamin c content
of the tomato is lost by the usual ap-
proved methods #of home canning
and that little if any is lost by storing
opened juice. for a few days in the re-
frigerator.
Experts from the Bureau of Home
Economics advise the use of the hot
or cold pack, rather than the open
kettle method for tomatoes, as the
combined effect of heat and air are
known to destroy some of the precious
vitamin C content Tomatoes may b,
packed whole or in sterilized jars and
the jars filled with tomato juice. Or
they may be cut into quarters, heated
or boiling and processed hot