BOTANY — BURBANK. 1/7 



either parent, or in any other direction, has occurred, and this new hybrid 

 may therefore be classed as a distinct new species. Solanum guinense is 

 a strong, bushy perennial, bearing large quantities of black fruits of most 

 unpleasant qualities ; S. villosum is a dwarf, procumbent annual, which pro- 

 duces abundant clusters of small, hard, green berries, but the fruit of the new 

 species is delicious, resembling the low-bush blueberry of the Eastern States — 

 Vaccinium peiinsylvanicum in color, flavor, consistency, and general appear- 

 ance. The species is grown with ease and will probably prove to be of great 

 commercial value. 



Extensive experiments of extreme interest and importance have been 

 conducted with Zea mays, the common corn. This annual grass is evidently 

 a native of America, but has not within historic times been found wild, the 

 grass-like plant teosinte of Central America being its nearest wild relative. 

 Like all other grasses, the kernels of the progenitors of Zea mays many 

 years ago no doubt grew at the top of the stalk, like sugar-cane, wheat, barley, 

 etc. By these experiments the plant has been carried back, through many 

 forms, to the original simple grass. It has also been crossed with teosinte. 

 Numerous photographs, showing the strange ancestral forms, have been ob- 

 tained, and it is hoped that the experiments, which are of especial importance 

 to biologists, may be extended through another year. 



The new giant opuntias so far produced will endure only about the same 

 degree of freezing as the fig or eucalyptus trees. An effort is being made to 

 produce hardy varieties which, it is hoped, can be cultivated successfully in 

 more northern climates. 



Dr. George H. Shull has taken notes of Mr. Burbank's experiments and 

 has made much progress, but new results of past experiments are accruing 

 very rapidly, and additional trained scientific observers could be usefully 

 employed upon this work. 



Dr. W. A. Cannon, of the Desert Botanical Laboratory, has under micro- 

 scopical examination several of Mr. Burbank's hybrids, and other hybrids 

 are being studied by Professor Webber, of Cornell University. 



