ToMATOES 1411 
* TRIUMPH OF THE ITALIAN TOMATO 
The tomato was given to the world by America, but Italy is 
today teaching the rest of the world by example how it should be 
raised and how it should be preserved. Italian canned tomatoes 
have practically pushed the American product out of the English 
market, and have gained an enormous market in the United States. 
The Italians raise a solid meaty tomato of fine color and it is so 
packed in the cans that the consumer is not obliged to pay for a 
large percentage of water. 
Canned tomatoes, however, are put up principally for the ex- 
port trade. The Italians themselves prefer their tomatoes in the 
form of sauce, or paste, which is nothing more nor less than boiled 
down tomato pulp, minus the skins and seeds, as set forth in an 
interesting manner in a report by Commercial Agent J. Alexis 
Shriver entitled “Canned-Tomato Industry in Italy,” recently is- 
sued by the Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. This 
sauce is put up in cans and is used by the Italians in a great variety 
of dishes, of which spaghetti is perhaps the most familiar to Ameri- 
cans. 
According to fairly accurate statistics the area planted in to- 
matoes in Italy is about 22,000 acres, producing about 385,000 
tons. The exports to the United States amount to about 20,000,- 
000 pounds of canned tomato and tomato sauce, and some 8,000,- 
000 pounds of the product go to South America. The total value 
of the tomato exports from Italy is well over $6,000,000. 
The skins and seeds that were formeriy wasted are now utilized, 
the former as stock feed and the latter as a source of oil. The 
crude oil is suitable for soap making and for lamps, and the re- 
fined oil is said to be edible. Commercial Agent Shriver’s report, 
Special Agents Series No. 93, may be obtained from the Superin- 
tendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, 
at 5 cents a copy. 
Rien from Circular issued by U. 8. Department of Agriculture, Washington D. C. dated 
Feb. 9, 1915. 
