On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 06:34:47 +0100, Magwitch wrote:

doug muttered:


"davek" wrote in message
...

"jim" wrote in message
...
is it possible to grow tomato plants from seeds taken directly from a
tin
of
peeled plum tomatoes?

Maybe not, but reminds me that sewage farms exhibit wondrous displays of
tomato plants every summer. Shows how indigistible the seeds are.
Davek.

*******
My father, a keen gardener always averred that tomato seeds that have done
the journey through a gut, - a human gut preferably in his case, will
produce excellent tomatoes.
I have grown tomatoes all my life but haven't experimented in that fashion.
By the way, I believe "they" are trying bring find the and bring back the
old breeds that were known for their better sweetness.
Excluding the "cherry tomatoes". - which, in passing , I think have lost
their original sweetness and I believe this is maybe due to the factory
system culture which demands perfect shape and colour for supermarkets,
but it has been at the expense of sweetness and That breed has now a more
insipid taste .
Doug.

********

My father (now 86) was a Japanese POW on the Burma-Siam railway. In the 4
years of captivity, they only received one Red Cross parcel as the Japs
withheld them (they discovered shed-fulls of RC food and medical supplies in
the camp when the Japs surrendered). He had a choice of either a can of
peaches or one of tomatoes.

Although sorely tempted by the peaches, he chose the tomatoes as he thought
he'd try to grow any seeds, everyone was very doubtful and didn't think
they'd grow, but in the hot humid climate they all germinated and flourished
so the camp got a good source of vitamins. The first thing he did on
arriving at another camp was plant the tomato seeds - earning him the
nickname, 'Tomato Lucas'. He still grows wonderful tomatoes to this day, in
addition to maintaining his 3 acre garden.

Wonderful story


Pam in Bristol