THE NEW EARTH 



same time. In twelve years' time, without 

 irrigation, these trees have grown to be eighty 

 feet in height, with a branch spread of seventy- 

 five feet, trunks nearly three feet in diameter 

 at the base and nearly two feet in diameter 

 at fifteen feet from the ground. The trees are 

 fine for fuel and splendidly adapted to furni- 

 ture manufacture. This demonstration of the 

 possibility of tree-breeding places an entirely 

 different aspect upon forestry the world over. 

 It points the way, too, to the reforesting of the 

 denuded areas of the earth at a pace far more 

 rapid than any ever before known. By con- 

 stant selection of those seedlings of a certain 

 cross, or of a variety not crossed, which show 

 unusual rapidity of growth, this particular 

 quality of rapidity is attained, the descendants 

 of these seedlings continuing the rapidity of 

 growth as soon as enough time has elapsed 

 to fix them in their course. So in the case of 

 any other attribute, the seedlings, which, as 

 they develop, show in larger measure the attri- 

 bute sought, are the ones selected for the fix- 

 ing and preserving of this larger measure of 

 excellence. 



While in the generation of the life of the 



180 



