Winter Wisdom

Brought to you in cooperation with the Kansas State University Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners.   Each week we feature interesting topics for winter reading.

Home
Current Issue
Previous Issues

Donations

Videos new!

Bookstore  
Magazines 
Gardening Catalogs 

Site Search
Contact Us
Submit A Tip

Feature Articles

Rose Tips
What's Hot... 
Nuisance of the Week
Winter Wisdom 
Turf Tips... 
Gardener's Glossary 

Books We Love
Great Products
Web Resources
Event Calendar

Unsubscribe 
Address Change 
Tell A Friend 

Privacy Pledge

Week of 12/18/00

At some point in your life you have been involved in the discussion of whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable.  Everyone seems to have an opinion and some vigorously defend one side or the other.  Dr. Chuck Marr, K-State Research and Extension vegetable specialist recently shared this story about the fruit or vegetable status of tomatoes.

In 1883, the US Congress passed an act establishing protective tariffs on several commodities, among which were vegetables.  There was a 10 percent tariff imposed on the value of imported vegetables coming into the US from the Caribbean and congressmen were interested in protecting US farmers and workers growing vegetables.  Since most fruit grown in the Caribbean was tropical (not grown in the US) and tree fruits would not grow in the tropics, there was no similar tariff on imported fruits.  An enterprising importer brought a load of tomatoes from the Caribbean region through the port of New York in 1886 and was assessed a tariff; however, he protested saying tomatoes were fruits and not vegetables.  He sued through the court system and his case eventually wound up in the Supreme Court of the US.  His case was heard and the court ruled that tomatoes were to be classed as vegetables-not fruit so he lost the case and had to pay the tariff.  In 1893, Justice Horace Gray wrote the opinion for the court that stated:  "Botanically speaking, tomatoes are the fruit of a vine, just as are cucumbers, squashes, beans and peas.  But in the common language of the people, whether consumers or sellers or provisions, all these are vegetables which are grown in kitchen gardens and, whether eaten cooked or raw, are, like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, celery or lettuce, usually served at dinner in, with or after soup, fish or meats which constitute the principal part of the meal, and not, like fruits generally, like deserts."  

It is interesting that Justice Gray cited cabbage and cauliflower but not broccoli.  Broccoli was not commonly grown or consumed in the US until much later, into the 1920's when it was introduced to US consumers.

This supreme court decision established the working definition that is currently used to determine whether a particular food item should be classed as a fruit or vegetable; however, there is still some confusion that exists with melons which are grown like vegetables but are generally eaten like fruits.  I guess that we need another court decision to decide that one.

Articles submitted by Bill Latimer, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Assistant and Dennis Patton, Johnson County Extension Horticulture Agent.

Previous Weeks' Winter Wisdom

* Winter Wisdom is an information service of the Kansas State Johnson County Research and Extension Master Gardeners.  Research-based responses are provided by Extension Master Gardener volunteers weekdays from March 1 through October 31, from 9:00 am to 4:30pm .  To telephone, call (913) 764-6306 or visit the Extension Office at 13480 South Arapaho Drive, Olathe, Kansas.  Visit their website at www.oznet.ksu.edu/Johnson 

© 1999 - 2008 Savvygardener.com, Inc. All rights reserved.  If you wish to copy, transmit, or otherwise duplicate any of the material from our website please ask us first.  Thank you.