THE TOMATO 175 



nineteen and twenty-year-old tomato seeds; and 

 must leave further investigation along this line 

 to younger experimenters. 



Grafting Tomato and Potato 



Doubtless among the most interesting experi- 

 ments (to the general public) with the tomato 

 have been those in which this plant was grafted 

 on the stalk of the potato ; together with the com- 

 plementary experiments in which the potato was 

 grafted on the stalk of the tomato. 



The grafting of herbaceous plants such as 

 these presents no complications as a mechanical 

 procedure. The fact that the stem is succulent 

 throughout makes such grafting a less delicate 

 process than the grafting of twigs of trees, for 

 example, in which, as we know, it is necessary to 

 bring the cambium layers of the bark in accurate 

 contact. With herbaceous plants like the potato 

 and tomato, the stem may unite at any portion 

 where the cut surfaces come in contact. To 

 make a neat and thoroughly satisfactory graft, 

 however, it is of course desirable to select stems 

 of exactly the same size. 



The splice graft, elsewhere described, is the 

 best one to use, and if the incisions are made with 

 care, so that the incised surfaces fit accurately 

 together, it is only necessary to tie a piece of 



