Pitloos

I buy grapes from time to time. Green or red. We like them both. But sometimes I don't look closely at the label and I am suddenly surprised when I discover they have seeds in them. I know it's my own fault, but there is absolutely no reason for grapes to have seeds. Why are these for sale?

Did you know that a grape-selling company named Thompson has been selling seedless grapes since at least 1872? That's right and they don't have a patent on it either. So are seeded grapes sold simply as a nuisance for the grape eater?

When is the last time you ate an orange with seeds in it? They, too, do not have to have seeds in them. I read that the navel orange came from one tree in Brazil in the 19th century. So every seedless orange today descended from that one Brazilian tree.

Even watermelon has been seedless for nearly 20 years. I have to admit the "seedless" variety often has too many of those tiny white seeds.

Parthenocarpy (virgin fruit) is the natural or artificially induced production of fruit without fertilization. It's all pretty complicated, but any way you look at it, it's worth it!