CKOSSING TOMATOES TO INCREASE THE YIELD.* 



F. H. HALL 



'Stock breeders have long recognized the principle 

 "New blood that mating animals of different strains, races or 

 gives new varieties of the same or closely allied species 

 vigor." usually gives offspring of great vigor and fre- 

 quently of larger size than the parents. This 

 view had received some recognition from scientists even before the 

 time of Darwin ; but he collected so many illustrations of its truth 

 among both animals and plants that biologists generally accepted 

 the principle as one of Nature's laws, though it is a law with 

 exceptions. Other students and investigators since Darwin's 

 time have tested this law in many fields, and among others, have 

 proven it true with corn, beans, sorghum, cotton, tobacco, peaa 

 and other farm crops. 



From some previous work in Michigan, Prof. 

 Test on Hedrick, Horticulturist of this Station, believed 

 tomatoes. this same law would apply to tomatoes and sug- 

 gested to Mr. Wellington, his assistant, that he in- 

 vestigate this question. The results of these tests are here sum- 

 marized : As parents two varieties of tomatoes were selected that 

 were greatly alike in respect to color, form and size of fruit and 

 foliage, but decidedly unlike in plant habit, one being a dwarf — 

 Dwarf Aristocrat, and one a standard — Livingston Stone. These 

 varieties were grown in the forcing house during the winter of 

 1907-8 and carefully crossed, using the dwarf variety as the fe- 

 male parent and the standard variety as the pollen producer. On 

 other plants of each variety, flowers were also bagged before 

 opening, to insure pure seed of each for comparison. One hun- 



* This is a brief review of Bulletin No. 346 of this Station on the Influence 

 of Crossing in Increasing the Yield of the Tomato, by Richard Wellington. 

 Any one interested in the details of the investigation will be supplied, on 

 application, with a copy of the complete bulletin. Names of those who so 

 request will be placed on the Station mailing list to receive future bulletins 

 as issued, popular or complete edition as desired. 



A reprint of "Popular Edition" of Bulletin No. 34G; see p. 423 for the 



Bulletin. 



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