76 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



The Wild Tomato. 



BY CHARLES H. GAHLE, Fl'NCHAL, 

 MADEIKA. 



"The little wild tomato ( Lycopcrsicitiii 

 Tiilgare ccrasiforme) which is found in 

 Madeira is generally considered by bot- 

 anists to belong to the original stock, 

 native in South America, from which 

 our cultivated varieties have been de- 



rived. It grows wild in many parts of 

 the islands, often under desert condi- 

 tions, and in appearance the plant is 

 quite similar to the garden varieties. 

 One plant was found where it could not 

 have had a drop of water for at least 

 three months. It probably had started to 

 grow during the last few rains of spring 

 but had completed its growth during 



THE WILD TOMATO. 

 From '"The Journal of Heredity'' by permission. 



