68 MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



Besides the crosses already named, a true hybrid was secured 

 between the Lorillard and the Currant. Tlie Lorillard is a well- 

 known variety of medium size and of only moderate productiveness, 

 belonging to the common type of Lycoioersicum esculentum, while the 

 Currant belongs to a distinct species — Lycopersicum pimpinellifol- 

 ium. The Currant tomato is of weak spreading habit, with small, 

 thin foliage and very delicate flowers, arranged in two ranks on a 

 long raceme. These flowers, from 10 to 20 in number, are highly 

 self-fertile and the fruit very closely resembles long clusters of 

 cherry currants. The difference in the appearance of the leaves of 

 the two varieties is very well shown in Fig. 1, Nos. 1 and 3. The 

 difference in the flowers is equally marked, those of the Lorillard 

 being somewhat conical, with the calyx lobes much longer than 

 the petals ; while those of the Currant are slender and the calyx 

 lobes are so small the petals and stigma often protrude. 



The resulting hybrids were intermediate between the parents in 

 nearly every particular. The character of the foliage is well 

 shown in Fig. 1, No. 2. The fruit, which from a practical poiL*y 

 of view is most important, presented a very attractive appear- 

 ance. Much of the productiveness of the Currant is shown, while 

 the influence of the size of the Lorillard is also exhibited. The 

 size and character of the fruit may be seen from Fig. 2. No. 1 

 represents the male parent — Currant; No. 3, the female — 

 Lorillard ; while No. 2 is the hybrid, all being about one-half size. 

 The detached fruit shows the natural size of the hybrid. 



Our purpose now is, by futher combining the hybrid with the 

 Lorillard, to increase the size of the fruit, at the same time 

 retaining if possible the prolific tendencies of the plant. To this 

 end crosses have been made of the hybrid on the Lorillard and 

 of the Lorillard on the hybrid and the results are awaited with 

 interest. 



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