THE SUNBERRY 295 



niger, from which well-known poisonous drugs 

 are obtained, is at least vaguely recognized, 

 and the plants as very generally held under 

 suspicion. 



Nevertheless, the potato, the tomato, the 

 egg plant and numerous other well-known semi- 

 tropical fruits may be cited as affording a con- 

 vincing demonstration that there is great merit in 

 the family, even though one were to dispute that 

 the tobacco could legitimately be put in evidence 

 in the same connection. And, for me at any rate, 

 there was interest in the knowledge that at least 

 two species of Solanum were available for ex 

 perimental purposes that were not under sus- 

 picion as to the production of poisonous fruit, 

 however lacking in attractive qualities their prod- 

 ucts might be. 



PROGENITORS OF THE SUNBERRY 



One of the solanums in question is a rather 

 large plant known botanically as Solanum 

 guinense, which found its original home in 

 Africa, but which has been known for a genera- 

 tion or so in this country, and is sometimes 

 referred to as the "garden huckleberry." 



The other is a smaller species, known as Sola- 

 num villosum, which was indigenous to Europe, 

 but which is said to have been accidentally intro- 



