LESSONS ON TOMATOES FOR RURAL 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 u 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 judging tomatoes? What 
is meant by form? Vigor? Shape? Flesh? Pulp? Uniformity 
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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 
