254 NEW JERSEY AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 



or "long-podded" and with the latter it may be from 13-14 mm. 

 ± to 170-190 mm. ± . 



The long fruits are generally more or less curved, as shown in 

 the plate, and it seems likely that the bending bears some relation 

 to seed-development within and when this has been faulty, there 

 is a retardation of growth and that side becomes concave. It is 

 not uncommon to have a double curve in a long pod. 



Pepino or the Melon Shrub. 



During the past season several plants of the Pepino, Melon 

 Shrub, or Melon Pea (Solauioji Duiricatidu Ait.) have been 

 grown for breeding with eggplants, peppers, and tomatoes. The 

 plants are handsome bushy herbs, with smooth long leaves and 

 producing briglit bluish purple flowers in great profusion, but 

 rarely setting fruit, that is. there may be a thousand blooms to 

 one fruit. The latter were as large as goose eggs, which they 

 resemble somewhat in shape but were quite pointed at the blos- 

 som-end and streaked and splashed with violet purple upon a 

 background of dull pale green. The specimens were i;i all in- 

 stances seedless, whether treated with pollen from the eggplant, 

 pepper, or tomato, or left to themselves ; and as a maternal sub- 

 ject for breeding, as was ex|)ected. proved worthless for the 

 first season, at least. 



The fruit is satisfactory' when treated as that of the eggplant, 

 the flesh flavor being something like that of cucumbers, but 

 under our conditions it is not recommended because of the few 

 fruits that are produced. In the tropics where it is native, 

 especially at elevations where there is a comparatively cool and 

 long season, the j>epino is of economic importance. With us 

 perhaps the most interesting characteristic is the formation of 

 fine well-shaped fruits that are seedless, the firm watery flesh oc- 

 cupying practically all the interior. 



Breeding Among Ornamental Plants. 



The front border of the breeding grounds, as usual, was oc- 

 cupied with ornamental plants, among which as an aside some 

 studies in heredity have been prosecuted. 



pink-c.\rnation hybrids. 



The pink and carnation hybrids reported upon last year, ac- 

 companied with a full page plate, have been very attractive the 

 past season and some of them show much to merit their exten- 

 sive propagation for bedding plants. 



