LESSONS ON TOMATOES FOR EUEAL SCHOOLS. 7 



blossom and the stem ends should be included when considering 

 smoothness. The shade of ''color" should be uniform and true to 

 the variety. A poor color and an inferior skin are serious objections. 

 The ''flesh" should be solid, uniform in color, and should compose 

 a relatively large proportion of the tomato. In other words, the 

 amount of pulp and seed should be relatively small. Each fruit 

 should be evenly "ripe." The "sample" should be uniform as to 

 size, shape, and color. 



Study questions: What is the object of judgmg tomatoes? What 

 is meant by form? Vigor? Shape? Flesh? Pulp? Uniformity 



Fig. 2. — Tomatoes having desirable blossom ends and stem ends; also proper proportion of meat and 

 pulp. The range of sizes is desirable. 



of color? Why are grooves objectionable? Why is smoothness of 

 surface desirable? 



References.— [J. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. 132, p, 37. 



Practical exercises. — (1) Go with the members of the class to a 

 near-by tomato plat and score some select plants. If this is im- 

 practicable, have each member of the class bring to school a choice 

 plant to be judged. (2) Have each member of the class bring to 

 school five choice tomato fruits to be judged. Each tomato of the 

 group of five should be examined carefully and judged separately. 

 Then the group as a whole should be judged. Pupils should be re- 

 quired to judge and grade miscellaneous lots of tomatoes. Canned 

 tomatoes either in glass or tin should be brought to school and 

 judged. This practice is very important, as it enables the pupils to 

 become familiar with standard or first-class product. The pupils 



