CHAPTER XVII 



THE TOMATO 

 By OWEN THOMAS 



So much value is now attached to the tomato as a summer fruit that its 

 inclusion in important collections is common. Even so long ago as the six- 

 teenth century it was a common article of dessert among the Portuguese. 

 Lunan says of this fruit, " I have eaten five or six raw at a time. They 

 are full of a pulpy juice, and of small seeds, which you swallow with the 

 ■pulp, and have something of a gravy taste." The tomato is a native of 

 South America, and probably also of Mexico, whence it appears to have 

 been brought by the Spaniards. It was common in continental gardens as 

 far back as the year 1583, and according to " Hortus Kewensis " it found its 

 way into England in 1596, but is supposed to have been introduced previous 

 to that date, as Gerarde mentions it in the early part of his voluminous work as 

 growing in his garden. From the same authority we also learn that the yellow 

 variety is as old as the red, for he says : " There has happended into my hands 

 another sort agreeing very notably with the former, only the fruit whereof was 

 yellow." In England the tomato was regarded as of little value until some 

 twenty or thirty years ago. Since then it has been gradually but surely rising 

 in public favour, and so important has it become that it may legitimately claim 

 Tto be classed as a dessert fruit, and so we propose to treat it. It is not too 

 much to say that no product of the garden of late years has grown in popularity 

 to such a degree as the tomato. The methods practised by our home growers 

 to meet the greatly increased demand have been on a large scale also, many 

 hundreds of acres being covered with glass for the culture of this fruit alone. 

 :So large has been the demand of late years that the home supply is totally 

 inadequate, and hundreds of tons are imported annually, chiefly from the Canary 

 ;and Channel Islands. 



The uses of the tomato in cookery are so varied that there seems no limit 

 to its usefulness. I venture to say that when the knowledge of its culture is 

 acquired by our artisans and labourers with gardens in country districts, it 

 will become an article of daily food among them, and, moreover, as useful 

 and profitable as the poultry or pig yard. The tomato is one of the easiest 

 fruits to grow, and also one of the heaviest and most consistent croppers. 

 Under glass it is quite at home in any position where it can have light and a 

 small amount of heat. It is quite happy in the cottager's allotment, green- 

 jiouse, or even as a window plant. 



Culture under Glass. — Although I have stated above that it is of easy 



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