(Edit to add: Cross posted, sorry. I'm still stuck on the word 'catface'.)
Still research 'catface/catfacing'. Not just for tomatoes.Searching for the word/term catface, catfacing, cat face, cat facing, catface, cat facing I am told first of all that it is currently an urban slang word best not explained to young people here.
I find some sources say the first use of the word was 1940 referring to deformed fruit.
But a book/booklet "Consumers' Guide Index Consumers' counsel of the Agricultural adjustment administration - was in print in 1935. Mentions 'catface' and growth cracks in tomatoes.
Further back to 1931, catface is mentioned in an agricultural publication: Miscellaneous Publication U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1931
There is a reference to 'catfacing' to mean a pucker left in a garment as a result of poor ironing/pressing but that was 1952, possibly the garment's owner was a fruit grower or turpentiner.
See this link for the turpentine industry. Charles Herty's new system to collect pine sap; the term 'catface' was coined in or about 1901 and referred to the scars which resembled cat's whiskers, left by cutting into the pine trees .
http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/extens...
Does the term 'catface' go back any further?
