THE WALNUT 



Crossing 



If new varieties are desired, plant the choicest 

 nuts from any perfect tree; let them grow two years 

 in the nursery; then graft a scion from this young 

 growth into a choice bearing tree. Doubtless pistil- 

 late bloom will be observed on this scion the second 

 year after grafting. This bloom will become fertil- 

 ized by pollen from the foster parent. The resulting 

 nut will indicate the new strain. This nut thus pro- 

 duced by cross fertilizing, if planted will produce a 

 hybrid tree. Hybrids are new varieties obtained by 

 crossing old varieties of different kinds or even spe- 

 cies of trees. This crossing takes place in the bloom, 

 by the winds blowing, or the bees carrying the pol- 

 len of the staminate bloom of one tree to the pistil- 

 late blossom of another. 



Cross fertilization, plus environment have given 

 the great variety of nuts, fruit and flowers we en- 

 joy. Mother Nature has been working on this line 

 for ages. The honey bees have been the friends x>f 

 men in cross-fertilizing trees and plants. 



Luther Burbank has given many wonderful crea- 

 tions of nuts, fruit and flowers to gladden the eye, 

 and to add to the wealth of the world. He is the 

 great leader in this line. As said of Franklin, "He 

 tore the lightning from the sky and the scepter from 



[35] 



