The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-06-13
Of. Vim. Rane IN Bulletin OF y. II.
Experiment statioul

Experiment Station)
There IS probably no plant we have
20 much literature upon. and that has
been studied So thoroughly from the
standpoint % plant breeding. as the to-
mato. This is doubtless due Co the fact
that 10 De- easily grown. commonly used
and odcrs exceptionally good oppor-
tluIty Tor study
The tomato plant Is quickly suscepti-
Die 90 careful selection. and IL is by this
that value ls given 90 cross results.
whether natural OF mechanical.
Ia selecting tomato seed d has been
demonstrated that the plant as a whole
has more hereditary influence than the
character OF the Individual fruit.
Repeated experiments have shown
that nothing Is gained by selecting
seeds from FIRST ripe fruit. regardless
o. the character OF the plant from which
they come.
When new varieties are desired
through crossing. the foregoing applies
equally 90 each parent The more uni
form and persistent the parent tho
greater Is the chance that lis charac.
teristics will be transmitted
when the desired variety Is once re-
allied Il Is Kept only by constant A..
tentlon 90 selection Il Is doubtless
chiefly due 90 carelessness IN selection
that our varieties OF tomatoes as a
whole are 80 comparatively short.
lived.
Tillage. fertilization. and other treat
mcnt Of plants have their eject upon
tomato breeding Poor soils and in
sufclcnt cultivation tend 10 porvert
the variety.
Keeping quality evidently has not
been generally taken into consideration
mp 20 the present time In breeding tho
tomato. Experiments at the Cornell.
New York. station 60 20 show that
solid varieties may not be the best
keepers.
I.yhr.diEing between the larger yarie-
ties and the clustered. or currant toma-
toes. generally results In producing
fruit intermediate IN size.
Crosses between the large or potato.
lcafed and communicated varieties us
ually result In an intermediate foliage
The red varieties seem 20 have the
power 20 stamp their color on the on.
spring Of crosses with other colors.
Varieties OF tomatoes mix very read.
ny when grown In the same field pprc
seed should be selected from isolated
varieties.
The tomato. as with other crops.
needs a rotation Tho plants rrown
dn the same land from year 90 wear.
alihoagh highly fcrtl.zed. naturally Dc.
seucrlto BOO time.
To- order to secure results from cross.
iug The tomato, one can not De too we'll
acquainted with the parent varieties
nor have too clearly defined plans ~
procedure Hauhazarl crossing Is oi
lUi, value.
when the parents are very dIHoron,
ir character. the chances are that M
offspring will De weak. while the on.
Hf ing Of closely related specles q,
roscs Is likely TO be very Vigorous.
ORIGIN OF TOMATOES
The evolution OF our cultivated n.
Dhtoes ia Interesting. The two spocle,
sfom which al our garden varietIo,
have originated are Lycopcrslcum MIN,
pinellitolium and Lycoporslcum escu,
lenium. The former includes the "Cpr.
rant varieties. which are small ana
borne In large clusters. sometimes spo.
ken Of as the "Raisln" tomatoes Thl,
species Is n South American variety
and Is found growing wild In both VA.
al and Peru. Although known lor
! come time, comparatively little use las