The tomato la a native of South
America and more particularly of Peru
and the Andean region. The Indian
name for lt ls "tumatl" and the Spanish
name "tomatc." When the Spaniards
arrived In the sixteenth century they
considered nothing of much Importance
except silver. But in 1583 they took
some tomatoes home with them as a
matter of curiosity, little dreaming
thnt there would some day be more
silver in them than there wus In all
the Peruvian mines. There is a gen?
eral impression that until sixty or
seventy years ago the tomato plant
was universally regarded as a poisonous
weed and that Its handsome fruit was
called the "love apple," and never cul?
tivated except as something pleasant
to look upon. But this story is incon?
sistent with itself. The tomato was
called the "love apple" for the reason
that it was believed to be an aphrodis?
iac, or excitant of amorous feelings.
But lt could not even be suspected of
such a property unless lt had been
habitually oaten. The truth ls that
there ls no record of a time when in
South America the tomato was not
an article of food. There is Indeed no
record of a time when lt grew wild.
When the Spaniards reached Peru they
found nothing but the cultivated to?
mato, which was cultivated for food.
They took a fancy to it and took it to
Spain, from which place it found its
way In 1590 to England.
Tba neat Novels.
The Back Bay Literary circle of Bos?
ton recently voted on what the mem?
bers considered the best uovels. These
received the majority of votes:
Best sensational novel, "Woman In
White," CoWlns.
Best historical novel, "Kenilworth,"
Scott
Best dramatic novel, "Jane Eyre,"
Bronte.
