A Great quote from 1891 that holds true today...

**nctomatoman** · January 21, 2008

This sentence appears on page 40 of "Vegetables: Varieties and Methods, Michigan State Ag. College, L. R. Taft, January 1891. Note that what this series of bulletins describes is an attempt to grow out and compare all available varieties of tomatoes - and each year they look at the catalogs and get the new ones to try and compare - in order to make a judgement of which are the very best for people to grow.

"This year's test of new varieties show that some of the seedsmen are practicing what would be considered in larger matters a state prison offense! A large portion of the new varieties are only the old ones renamed, and as they are brought out with extravagant representations, and at a price from two to four times as great as is charged for the same thing under its proper name, it looks as if a clear case of obtaining money under false pretences could be made out of it."

Hmmmm....does this go on today, one wonders!

gdionelli · January 21, 2008

Great quote! And so true...

kimpossible · January 21, 2008

"The more things change, the more they stay they stay the same..."

120 years later, and those same scams are going on!!

**tomatoaddict** · January 21, 2008

I personally "loathe" tomato re-naming.

January 21, 2008	#1
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	A Great quote from 1891 that holds true today... This sentence appears on page 40 of "Vegetables: Varieties and Methods, Michigan State Ag. College, L. R. Taft, January 1891. Note that what this series of bulletins describes is an attempt to grow out and compare all available varieties of tomatoes - and each year they look at the catalogs and get the new ones to try and compare - in order to make a judgement of which are the very best for people to grow. "This year's test of new varieties show that some of the seedsmen are practicing what would be considered in larger matters a state prison offense! A large portion of the new varieties are only the old ones renamed, and as they are brought out with extravagant representations, and at a price from two to four times as great as is charged for the same thing under its proper name, it looks as if a clear case of obtaining money under false pretences could be made out of it." Hmmmm....does this go on today, one wonders! __________________ Craig

January 21, 2008	#3
kimpossible Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Z5b SW Ont Canada Posts: 767	"The more things change, the more they stay they stay the same..." 120 years later, and those same scams are going on!! __________________ *So Many Tomatoes ... So Little Time*

January 21, 2008	#4
tomatoaddict Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: zone 5 Posts: 1,459	I personally "loathe" tomato re-naming. __________________ Secretseedcartel.com

January 21, 2008	#2
gdionelli Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: WV Posts: 38	Great quote! And so true...