82 



MAINE STATE COLLEGE 



possible. The plants proved quite variable, and crosses 

 and selections were made in the hope of fixing the more 

 valuable t3^pes. Seeds of some of the best of these were brought 

 by the writer to Maine, and were planted in 1891. 



Following, is a somewhat general account of the results 

 obtained with each series ; 



qfK' 







^-e"'-^ 



Fiff. 8. Round White. 



Series A. 



Bound White X Black PeJcin. — One fruit, the result of the 

 first cross, gave in 1890 a series of plants intermediate in general 

 character, between the parents. The voung shoots were much 

 like the pistillate parent, — Round White — but as they became 

 older, the upper surface of the stems, the petioles and the veins 

 of the leaves became of the purplish color of the male parent. 

 In form and size, most of the fruits varied in the direction of 

 the pistillate parent. Some were larger, however, and frequently 

 the same plant would bear mature fruits two inches and others 

 five inches in diameter. In color, the fruits were purple while 

 young — usually dark purple with lighter apex. Occasionally 

 this color was retained till time of edible maturity, but as a rule, 



