THE NEW WORK 



the time the chapter was written, on the new 

 fruit which has been called the pomato, which 

 develops from the seed-ball upon the potato 

 into a fruit of the general size and shape of a 

 small tomato. The work in progress since the 

 pomato was established as a definite, though 

 unperfected fruit, has been interrupted by- 

 many other more pressing duties. As the test 

 advanced, it was found that to make the fruit 

 perfect and appropriate for general introduc- 

 tion, certain tendencies must be overcome. 

 When grown from tubers, it produced less and 

 less fruit each season. When raised from seed, 

 there was almost a constant reversion to the 

 common bitter potato ball as of old. It will 

 be necessary to fix it by numerous selections 

 in its best estate which has been already 

 secured, but the time required and the great 

 number of seedlings necessary thoroughly to 

 fix the tendency to bear delicious fruit, make 

 the work too great at present for Mr. Burbank 

 to undertake with all the other work in hand. 

 The time will come when either he or some- 

 one else will make a stable, abundant fruit out 

 of the pomato, already proven to be a most 

 delicious fruit. 



4.11 



