EXPERIMENT STATION REPORT. 237 



siderable number of the fruits rex'ealed the fact that they were 

 seedless. The apparently full-sized fruits average from 3 to 

 7 cm. and show 5 to 7 ])rominent ribs each havin<^ a V-shaped 

 seed-cavity filled with a slightly greenish semi-fluid; these struc- 

 tures are shown in the sections in the plate, particularly in the 

 transverse views. , 



The tendency to Ije seedless in a derivative hybrid is shown 

 in the specimens that occupy the lower two-thirds (5-8) of the 

 plate. This is the result of the union of the 'Tvory" (26) upon 

 a hybrid of "Fordhook" upon "Chinese" expressed by the for- 

 mula. 26//14/25. These fruits are ten or more centimeters 

 long and broad and upon the same plant varying from a nearly 

 smooth oval to a broad, flattish, ribbed type, thus favoring 

 strongly the "Chinese" parent. 



Some of the fruits are entirely seedless and the placentae are 

 frecjuently nearly obliterated, while in other parts of the same 

 fruit there are sizable cavities, as may be seen at 5, 6, and 7. 

 The outer portion of the flesh separates easily from that within 

 upon the "plane" of the placentae, thus bringing to view any 

 seeds that have been formed. Upon the surface thus exposed 

 there is somewhat of the olive green "slime" so abundant in the 

 "Chinese" parent and its direct hybrid above observed. This 

 portion bears the characteristic bitter and needs to be eliminated 

 in the production of a fruit that is acceptable for the table, and 

 this can be done by re-combining this hybrid with the "Ameri- 

 can" parent — a task that has been accomplished in the hybrid in 

 which the "Chinese" is reduced to one-sixteenth of the whole. 

 The point here, however, is to make a record of the practical 

 sterility of the present hybrid and the pronounced retention of 

 the seedlessness in cases where the two species are represented 

 in the ratio of one to three. All hybrids between the "Chinese" 

 and the "American" have not been barren ; few seeds, however, 

 have been the rule and the process points to a substantial method 

 of reducing seediness that with many vegetable fruits may be 

 highly desirable. 



The ^th "American" hybrids (6// 2^/6) continued from last 

 year held to their fine reputation for vigor and productiveness, 

 averaging 15.3 fruits per plant. In size the fruits were larger 

 than the "Dwarf Purple" and usually the keeping quality was 

 enhanced. 



HYBRID EGGPLANTS. THE I5/16TH COMBINATION. 



Last year's report, with two plates (VI and VII) considered 

 the production of hybrid "American-Chinese" eggplants that 



