148 



LUTHER BURBANK 



plants come from widely distant countries. The Japanese 

 plum had also many good qualities to recommend it. 

 On a bright morning in spring, when this stranger from 



Japan was decked with 

 white blossoms, the 

 master came, bringing 

 to many of these blos- 

 soms golden dust from 

 one of his apricot trees. 

 It was at this time that 

 learned and wise men 

 declared, "It cannot be 

 done." Burbank said, 

 "We will try." 



You may be sure 

 that all the fertilized 

 blooms were watched, 

 and, when the fruiting 

 season arrived, seeds 

 were saved for planting. 



From the first the young trees varied greatly; some were 

 more like the plum, others like the apricot. The leaves 

 were also changed; they were larger than those of the plum, 

 and in shape somewhat like those of the apricot. The char- 

 acter of the tree was greatly changed. 



Although a promising pupil from the first, Plumcot has 

 been under constant training ever since it came into exist- 



A tomato-shaped plumcot. 



