CHAPTER XXXIX 

 THE ATHLETES 



One might think it impossible for the students of a 

 plant school to engage in athletics, but, really, it is quite 

 as feasible as for our boys and girls of the grammar and 

 high schools to enjoy the low hurdle or the running high 

 jump. 



The athletes in the Burbank plant school seem to be 

 among the tree pupils. Of these, the walnut takes the 

 lead. To most people it would seem impossible to improve 

 the slow-growing black walnut tree; in fact, so far as is 

 known, Burbank is the first man to try to break the life 

 habits of a tree. 



The first two walnut pupils were the native California 

 black walnut and the English walnut. Pollen was taken 

 from the English walnut and placed on the stigma of the 

 black walnut, and when the nuts ripened they were planted. 

 The young trees were allowed to grow until they were 

 large enough to be grafted onto the arms of a strong, large 

 walnut tree. When these grafts bore fruit, other trees were 

 raised. The process continued until as many as ten thou- 

 sand walnut pupils were found in the school at one time. 

 Athletes were to be selected from among ten thousand. 



Among these ten thousand many strangely clad were 

 seen. The leaves of some were small and had from three 



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