Luther Burbank and the New Earth 113 



believe them to be raspberries at all, at first, and yet 

 very sweet and indescribably delicate. He has picked 

 253 of these berries at one time from a single bush. 

 And they ripen four weeks before the common rasp- 

 berry. They also anticipate blackberries and straw- 

 berries by something like six weeks. He spoke of his 

 blackberries, particularly two varieties, the "Himalaya" 

 and the "thornless," as well adapted to home gardens. 



In discussing fruit for the benefit of the home table, 

 I asked him what he thought of the dwarf trees. "Why 

 not several varieties on a single tree of ordinary size?" 

 he suggested. It seems he has one apple tree now bear- 

 ing 526 varieties. That is an experimental affair, of 

 course ; but he says it is entirely practicable for a fam- 

 ily to raise four favorite varieties on the same tree. 

 He recommends this plan as preferable to growing dwarf 

 trees, even from the standpoint of economizing space. 

 Asked what else he would suggest as peculiarly suitable 

 for those who might wish to supplement their income by 

 selling some surplus from their gardens, Mr. Burbank 

 answered : 



"Improved golden bantam sweet-corn; cocoanut 

 squash, which requires little space, keeps good through- 

 out nearly the whole year, and is of most desirable size 

 and quality ; the production of various herbs and seeds, 

 specializing on one or more." 



Whenever I walk in a garden and enjoy the oppor- 

 tunity to eat the fruit directly from tree or vine, I 

 find myself envying those who have nothing to do with 

 the grocer and the various middlemen through whom 

 the people of cities get their supplies. This was par- 

 ticularly the case as I sampled the new varieties in Mr. 



