320 :sEW JEKSEY AGEICULTUEAL COLLEGE 



THE GOLDEA' BOWL - OKRA HYBRID. 



During the present year a blend hybrid has been grown of two 

 species of liibiscns, namely, //. Manilwi L. upon H. esculenius 

 L. This union was secured last year after many attempts and it 

 is quite evident that the two species, seemingly of elosci kinship, 

 do not breed freely. 



The male parent (H. Maouhot) it a tall, somewhat whip- 

 stemmed plant with large palmate leaves, having long naiTow lobes. 

 The flowers are large with golden-^-ellow }>etals suggesting one of 

 the common names, "Sunset Hibiscus," and are followed by ovate 

 capsules covered with fine, piercing, stiff hairs. Specimens of 

 stem, leaf, flower and fruit are shown in the left third of Plate 

 XYIII. Sample parts of the "Okra" are g-iven in the right third 

 of the same plate, when the broad maple-shaj^ed leaves are given 

 with the stout stems and two types of the fruit smooth and ridged. 

 Specimen portions of the hybrid are sliown between the two' par- 

 ents, and the reader may notice that in nearly all details there is a 

 blending of the two species. 



The hybrid grew vigorously and attained the height of ten feet, 

 and much excelled the tallest specimens of either parent. Free 

 blooming continued until cut short by the frosts, and a large num- 

 ber of pods were produced. The seeding capacity was, however, 

 quite limited, a feature that in itself would suggest that the par- 

 ents Avere of dift'erent species. 



This creation is probably of no economic value aS' a culinary 

 plant, as the pods partake of the dry woody nature of the Manihot 

 and soon bear the disagTeeable stiff hairs, although they are smaller 

 than in the last-named parent. On account of its large size and 

 strong blooming tendency it might become of value as an orna- 

 mental annual, when showy blooni& are desired in beds and borders. 



The plant produced forty-three' mature ix)ds. The three served 

 with "Golden Bowl" pollen produced in all thirty seeds; the four 

 receiving "Okra" pollen gave a total of thirty-seven seeds, and the 

 one worked within the plant yielded no seeds. The thirty-five 

 flowers left toi themselves produced only twenty seeds ; that is, 

 many of them were entirely empty. 



