174 LUTHER BURBANK 



to seven leaflets on either side of the stem; others were 

 large, with nine, eleven, and fifteen leaflets. Some were^ 

 rough, others glossy, others smooth. Many of the young 

 trees resembled the black walnut, many the English, while 

 some were unlike either parent tree. Some of the trees 

 grew slowly, others were hustlers. One of the fastest grow- 

 ers carried a perfume, for the leaf when crushed gave a 

 delightful fragrance resembling that of an apple and as 

 lasting as the odor of the violet. 



The variation in nuts that these trees bore was almost 

 as great as that of the leaf. There were large nuts and 

 small nuts; nuts with thick shell and bitter kernel, and 

 some with thin shell and sweet kernel. Some trees were 

 heavy bearers, others bore very little fruit, and some, none. 



But as the master was training this especial class in 

 rapidity of growth, the best young racers were placed in 

 long rows in the school. We feel sure they were as strictly 

 attentive to the orders of the coach as if they were intend- 

 ing to train for Olympic games. No strong drink nor 

 tobacco were indulged in, and as for keeping late hours, 

 why, they were ready to sing good-night with the sunset 

 breezes and to awaken in the morning at the first call of 

 birds in the tree tops. 



As the training progressed there were many try-outs, 

 and as the coach selected the fastest growers for further 

 team-work, no doubt great rounds of "rah, rah, rah" were 

 sent up by the admiring plant pupils for the victors. 



After years of patient labor the coach chose from among 



