THE SUNBERRY 293 



And whoever doubts that the true Sunberry 

 is an appetizing fruit and a valuable addition 

 to the list of table berries might readily be con- 

 vinced, had he some neighbor to make the 

 demonstration suggested by our correspondent, 

 through sending him a Sunberry pie. 



But let us forget all controversial aspects of 

 the subject and make inquiry as to the origin 

 of the new fruit. 



THE NIGHTSHADE FAMILY 



I have elsewhere referred to my interest in 

 the members of the nightshade family, or, as 

 the botanist calls them, the Solanacece. 



The fact that the potato, with which my first 

 experiments in plant development were made, 

 belongs to this family would naturally give me 

 an interest in the tribe. But I was particularly 

 attracted also because of the diversity of charac- 

 teristics among the almost innumerable and very 

 variable members of the family. 



Here, on one hand, are the potato, the tomato, 

 and the egg plant, ranking among our most 

 highly important garden vegetables, and the 

 strawberry-tomato or ground cherry among the 

 minor vegetables that have a good share of popu- 

 larity; and, on the other hand, closely related 

 species are bearers of the most powerful nar- 



