The U.S. Supreme Court Ruled That Tomatoes Are Vegetables

The question of whether a tomato is a fruit or a vegetable once reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The case, Nix v. Hedden, was about money. Importers had paid a duty on tomatoes brought from the West Indies, charged under the tariff act of 1883 as vegetables, and argued the tomatoes should have come in free as fruit. In the Court’s words, the single question was whether tomatoes, considered as provisions, are to be classed as vegetables or as fruit within the meaning of that act. The opinion grants the science: 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, the Court said, all these are vegetables, usually served at dinner with the main part of the meal and not, like fruits generally, as dessert.