AND HIS PLANT SCHOOL 



109 



To their words of encouragement the master always re- 

 plied, "He is not perfect yet; more time is needed." 

 Thornless was in the school for twelve years, under the 



The thornless blackberry. 



constant care of the master, who, no doubt, could have 

 trained Thornless to produce good fruit by constantly se- 

 lecting the best, but where there is a shorter road to the 

 goal, Burbank always chooses that road. 



The choicest blackberries have been chosen, pollen has 

 been taken from these, and with it the blossoms of the 

 best thornless have been crossed. Selections of the best 



