260 LUTHER BURBANK 



selection, and serves, here, to illustrate the vast 

 range of possibilities in plant improvement which 

 only await willing hands and active minds to turn 

 them into realization. 



Immediate possibilities for plant improvement 

 outnumber the improvements which have al- 

 ready been wrought, a thousand to one. 



It is planned in these books to treat of the 

 possibilities of some of the plants separately, in 

 connection with the description of the work which 

 has already been done, since each of these im- 

 provements not only suggests the road to count- 

 less other improvements which one has not had 

 time to take up, but indicates, in a measure, the 

 method by which their accomplishment may be 

 brought about. 



It may be well, at this point, however, to sur- 

 vey, roughly, the range of possibilities for im- 

 provement, so that, as we go along, we may have 

 an appreciative eye for the better valuation of 

 the things which are awaiting accomplishment. 



The elimination of tannic acid through experi- 

 mentation for other purposes is but one of the 

 many improvements which have been brought 

 to our attention. 



Possibly as striking an illustration of this as 

 could be chosen is one which made itself evident 

 in the plumcot. 



