es that of this species in size and form; but they are
generally more flattened, globe-shaped, with more or less distinct
sutures on the upper side, and I have never seen any fruit of these wild
plants which could not be readily distinguished from that of the true
Cherry tomato.

Prof. P. H. Rolfs, Director of the Florida experiment station, reports
that among the millions of volunteer, or wild, tomatoes he has seen
growing in the abandoned tomato fields in Florida, he has never seen a
plant with fruit which could not be easily distinguished from that of
the true Cherry tomato. Again, one can, by selection and cultivation,
easily develop from these wild forms plants producing fruit as large and
often practically identical with that of our cultivated varieties, while
I have given a true stock of Cherry tomato most careful cultivation on
the best of soil for 20 consecutive generations without any increase in
size or change in character of the fruit.

[Illustration: FIG. 7--PEAR-SHAPED TOMATO]

[Illustration: FIG. 8--YELLOW PLUM TOMATO, SHOWING MOST USUAL FORM OF
CLUSTER]

=Pear (not Plum) tomato= (_L. pyriforme_) (Fig. 7).--Plant exceptionally
vigorous, with comparatively few long, stout stems inclined to ascend.
Leaves numerous, broad, flat, with a distinct bluish-green color
noticeable, even in the cotyledons. Fruit abundant, borne in short
branched or straight clusters of five to ten fruits. It is perfectly
smooth, without sutures, and of the shape of a long, slender-necked
pear, not over an inch in transverse by 1-1/2 inches in longitudinal
diameter. When the stock is pure the fruit retains this form very
persistently. The production of egg-shaped or other forms is a sure
indication of impure stock. They are bright red, dark yellow, or light
yellowish white in color, two-celled, with very distinct central
placenta and comparatively few and large seeds. The fruit is inclined to
ripen unevenly, the neck remaining green when the rest of the fruit is
quite ripe. It is less juicy than that of most of our garden sorts but
of a mild and pleasant flavor. This is considered, by many, to be
simply a garden variety, but I am inclined to the belief that it is a
distinct species and that the contrary view comes from the study of the
impure and crossed stocks resulting from crosses between the true Pear
tomato and garden sorts which are frequently sold by seedsmen as
pear-shaped. Many garden sorts--like the Plum (Fig. 8), the E