38 How TO MAKE GRAPE CULTURE PROFITABLE IN CALIFORNIA 



the anthers over a watch crystal, until its surface is dusted with 

 pollen. The blooms of the seed parent, that is to receive the pollen, 

 have been previously prepared by removing about nine-tenths of 

 the bloom buds, when they began to show the petal color. This is 

 done for convenience in operating and to avoid overcrowding the 

 tree's capacity. Before the petals open, each of these buds is care- 

 fully cut into with a small sharp knifeblade in such a way that the 

 petals, a part of the sepals and all the attached anthers are removed 

 as the knife makes its circuit, leaving the pistils exposed but unin- 

 jured by the operation. The removal of the corolla balks the bees 

 and other honey-sucking insects, that are pollen distributors. Mr. 

 Burbank chooses for pollenation the time when the first hum of the 

 bees is heard in the trees, as this seems to be Nature's indicator, and 

 he finds all conditions then most favorable, and believes the pistil 

 is then in its most receptive state. His instrument for pollenation 

 is his finger tip, applied first to the dusted surface of the crystal 

 until enough pollen adheres, then quickly touched to the pistils of 

 the prepared blossoms one after another. These welcome the pollen 

 and the fructifying agency begins at once its journey to the ovule. 

 No matter what comes now ,the opportunity for outside pollen has 

 passed. 



The seeds resulting from cross-pollenation are of course gath- 

 ered with great care, seedlings are grown and the closest watch is 

 kept upon characteristics and habits from germination onward. 

 The little seedling may disclose its combined parentage, or it may 

 give sign that it has drawn up something from the profound depths 

 of the converging streams of remote ancestry long before reaching 

 the blossoming or fruiting stage. These crossbred plants are again 

 crossbred, as the purpose of their master indicates, for he always 

 works to a definite purpose. And thus the wonderful processes go 

 on year after year. Sometimes thousands of specimens have to be 

 destroyed, yielding no results." 



Planting the Seed. 



The seed should be prepared about a week before sowing, by 

 soaking in hot, but not boiling water for about 2 hours, when the 

 cold water is poured off and another application of hot water given 

 it for 2 hours more. Then drain the water off and wrap the seed up 

 in a piece of course cloth and lay it in the sun during the day, 

 moistening the cloth, whenever it becomes dry. In the evening take 

 it into a warm room and leave it there during the night. The latter 

 part of February is a good time to sow the seed and it generally 

 takes from two to three weeks before it germinates. 



The Seed-Bed. 



Select for the seed-bed a piece of warm rich sandy soil, which 

 must be worked over deeply with plow or spade and then made 

 smooth with the rake. Sow in drills about three feet apart and 

 about one and a half inches deep. Cover with fine mellow soil 

 and smooth over again with rake. The seed-bed must be carefully 



