EXrEKlMEXT STATIOX EEPOKT. 473 



A rni-xture of seeds, representing the various colors in rows 9 to 21 

 was ])lnnted in Plot IIL, Series III. 



Xo attempt was made to record the number of hyln'id plants of 

 different colors in Plot I., Series YL, but it can be said that all the 

 colors recorded in the plot just considered were observed here, and 

 as a whole there seemed to be no striking contrast between the two 

 plots. 



An attempt was made the past season to cross T. pratensis and T 

 porrofolius Avitli their hybrids, and also with Scorzonera or ''black 

 salisfy.'' The seeds from flowers thus pollinized were sown in Half- 

 plot I., Series 111. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH EGGPLANTS. 



In 1900 cross-pollination was effected between the '"Xew York 

 Improved Spineless'' variety of eggplant and one that is known as 

 "Earl^r Long Purple." The new greenhouse provided for the propa- 

 gation of a large stock of plants from the seeds of fruits that resulted 

 from the above work in crossing. The following season was unusually 

 favorable for the growth of eggplants, and two plots were occupied 

 with the crosses, while other portions of the area contained speci- 

 mens of the parent species, grown for sake of comparison. The cross 

 was early manifest in the upright habit of the ''Long Purple" and 

 the large, broad leaf of the "Xew York Improved."* There was the 

 purple color of the young stems and leaf-stalks of the former com- 

 bined with the stoutness of the latter variety. The vigor was so 

 remarkable that it suggested the idea that crossing of varieties might 

 be of importance for this point alone. 



When the fruits reached marketable size the evidence of a cross 

 was confirmed, because instead of the long, slender and usually curved 

 form of the "Long Purple" or the nearly oval shape of the "Xew 

 Y'ork Improved," there was a fruit that closely combined the char- 

 acteristics of the two and produced a shape agreeing with that of the 

 "Bartlett" pear. In weight it was heavier than the "Xew York Im- 

 proved," and agreed with it in color. Xo change in this latter feature 

 was expected, because both parents were of a handsome purple color. 



A serious objection to the "Long Purple," as grown here for years, 

 is the lateness in coming into bearing. The fruits, although of high 



*The term "Spineless" of the full, long trade name is omitted because the 

 "spines" were much in evidence. 



