The War of 1812 and Tomatoes

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The War of 1812  had even more to do with tomatoes, and seeds in general, than one would think!  The article below is an interesting view on how the war effected New Englanders.

The United States relied on Europe for most of its seeds until then. While people gave away seeds, traded seeds and sold their own extra seed stock, large commercial seed producers were more a product of necessity when the government stopped importation and then the  trade embargo of 1807 took effect.  We had some really fast ships that ran the blockades and cleaned up financially when they made it back with goods, but, in general,  the War of 1812 hurt merchants and caused depressions in many coastal towns.

In this illustration the Embargo Act of 1813 is personified by a huge 

terrapin, who seizes a violator of the law by the seat of his breeches.