Tomato Notes 



401 



For history of the tomato, see Sturtevant, 6th Rept. N. Y, 

 State Exp. Sta., pp. 279-2S4, Amer. Nat., Aug. 1891, pp. 702- 

 706, and Sept. 1891, pp. 800-803; Bailey, Bull. 19, Mich. Exp. 

 Sta. (1886) and Essay 30, "Survival of the Unlike also chief note 

 by Gray & Trumbull, Amer. Journ. Sci. 26, p. 128 (Aug. 1883). 

 The tomato is native of Peru, and perhaps of other parts of the 

 Andean region. It was cultivated by the aborigines and was early 

 taken to Europe. At first, the tomato was grown as a curiosity. 

 Its commercial cultivation is scarcely more than 75 years old. In 

 1889, American dealers catalogued tomatoes under 81 varietal 

 names. In 1887, Goff (6th Rep. N. Y. State Exp. Sta.) described 

 65 varieties. 



Following is a botanical classification of the tomato (Bailey, 

 Bull. 32, Cornell Exp. Sta.*) : 



The common tomato species, Lycopersicum esculentum, may be 

 divided into five primary divisions : the cherry tomatoes (var. 

 cerasiforme) , plum and pear tomatoes (var. pyriforme), the common 

 market tomatoes (var. vulgare), the large-leaf kinds like Mikado 

 (var. grandifoUum) , and the upright or tree sorts (var. validum). 

 The common tomatoes (var. vulgare) can again be divided for pur- 

 poses of classification into three subdivisions : the oblong, angu- 

 lar and apple -shaped tomatoes. The currant tomato is a distinct 

 si^ecies, Lycopersicum pimpinellifoUum or "pimpinella-leaved to- 

 mato." In tabular form, the classification of the tomato may stand, 

 therefore, as follows: 



I. Lycopersicum pimpinellifoUum. This has not yet varied to 

 any extent in cultivation, and the one variety is known as the 

 Currant and German Raisin. 



II. Lycopersicum esculentum. The parent of all commercial 

 tomatoes. 



(a) Var. cerasiforme. Cherry tomatoes, characterized by slen- 

 der growth and small light-colored foliage, and small globular 

 fruits which are normally 2 -celled. Red and yellow varieties are 

 known. 



(5) Var. pyriforme. Pear and plum tomatoes, distinguished 

 * Consult also Bull. 19, Mich. Agric. College (1886) , and Bull. 31 (1887). . ■ 

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