LUTHER BURBANK 



series of unsuccessful hybridizing experiments, 

 that the two Solanums I had finally mated were 

 so widely different in constitution as to stand at 

 the very limits of affinity within which crossbreed- 

 ing is possible. 



We have discussed a number of instances in 

 which similar crosses have been made between 

 species widely separated. Such, for example, was 

 the cross between the California dewberry and the 

 Siberian raspberry, which produced the Primus 

 berry; also that between the dewberry and the 

 Cuthbert raspberry, which produced the Phenom- 

 enal berry; and that between the plum and the 

 apricot, which produced the Plumcot. 



In each of these cases, it will be recalled, the 

 hybrid showing intermediate characteristics be- 

 tween its parents, constituting virtually a new 

 species, and proving its individuality by breeding 

 true to type from the seed. 



It was rather to be expected, then, that the 

 hybrid Solanum would similarly prove its individ- 

 uality, and the expectation was fully realized. 



As the plants came to maturity, one bloomed 

 but failed to produce fruit. The others, however, 

 fruited quite abundantly, some of them profusely. 



The fruit was intermediate in size between the 

 fruits of the parent plants. Its quality was en- 

 tirely different from that of either parent. It had 



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