XXX. 1 THE TROPHY TOMATO. 479 



strongly decurrent on the petiolule. 

 Leaves of very young plants are entire ! 

 Singular plants of recent development, 

 represented by but few varieties, of which 

 Mikado may be taken as the type. 

 (Figs. C and D, p. 114.) 

 ^§C. Valiclum. — Stem very thick and stout, the 

 plants nearly sustaining themselves, two 

 to three feet high ; leaves very dark 

 green, short and dense, the leaflets 

 wrinkled and more or less recurved. 

 Odd plants, with the aspect of pota- 

 toes, represented by French Upright and 

 the New Station. (Fig. E, p. 115.) 

 Another species, Ly coper sicum pimpinelli folium, Du- 

 nal. Solan. Syn. 3, the Currant tomato, is culti- 

 vated as a curiosity. 



n. 



History of the Trophy Tomato. 



The Trophy tomato marked one of the most im- 

 portant advances of American horticulture. A genera- 

 tion ago, the tomato was one of the plants of second- 

 ary importance in our vegetable gardening. The old 

 traditions respecting its unwholesomeness had not yet 

 disappeared, the masses had not learned to like it, 

 and the great canning industry had not been de- 

 veloped. The fruits were mostly of small size and 

 much corrugated or angled, so that they were prepared 

 for culinary uses with more or less difficulty. About 

 thirty years ago, however, there seemed to have arisen 

 a general interest in the fruit, and many new varie- 



