DATES OF LOCAL INTEREST. 103 



lished by the Department of the Interior in the " Bulletin of 

 the United States Geological Survey, No. 5 " (Washington, 

 1884), page 136, the height of Wachusett Mountain is given, 

 on the authority of Professor Arnold Guyot, as 2,018 feet. 



THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TOMATO. 



The tomato plant (^Lycopcrsiaim esailentiun), now so com- 

 mon in every vegetable garden, was first introduced into Groton 

 about the year 1840. The young plants, sent to Dr. Joshua 

 Green by William Lawrence, Esq., of Boston, were brought to 

 this town by Aaron Corey, a well-known stage-coach driver 

 of that period, who also acted in the capacity of a modern 

 expressman. They were set out by Eliab Going Bolton, an 

 experienced gardener, who watched them with great care dur- 

 ing their growth. I remember distinctly with what curiosity 

 they were regarded by persons interested in such matters ; 

 and how the fruit, as it ripened, was carefully distributed in 

 the neighborhood for trial and judgment. 



According to my recollection, the verdict at first was an 

 unfavorable one ; but this has long since been set aside, and 

 a later tribunal has decreed otherwise. It has decided that 

 the tomato stands on the border-line of necessity, and has 

 come to stay. 



DATES OF LOCAL INTEREST. 



The town of Groton first appears on any map in that of 

 New England, which is printed in the Reverend William 

 Hubbard's "Narrative of the Troubles with the Indians" 

 (Boston, 1677). 



The town-clock in the steeple of the Unitarian Meeting- 

 house was made by James Ridgeway, and placed in the tower 

 sometime during the spring of 1809. It was paid for in part 

 by the town and in part by private subscriptions. Mr. 

 Ridgeway was a silver-smith and a clock-maker, who during 



