THE BURBANK CHERRY 121 



bear shipment across the continent, and so reach 

 the Eastern market in good condition. 



As much as this will be obvious to every eater 

 of cherries. 



But from the standpoint of the fruit grower, 

 there are many other qualities that are no 

 less important. It is necessary that the tree that 

 bears the cherries shall be hardy and able to with- 

 stand ordinary frosts; that it shall have the 

 quality of vitality that makes it fairly immune 

 to the attacks of insects ; that it shall have abun- 

 dant foliage to protect the fruit from the sun 

 and birds; and that it shall be a prolific bearer 

 no less than a bearer of fruit of marketable 

 quality. 



All this, and more, in addition to the quality 

 of earliness of bearing to which reference has al- 

 ready been made. 



If w r e add that there are certain minor quali- 

 ties to be borne in mind, such as the question of 

 length of stem, number of cherries to the cluster, 

 and tendency of the fruit to cling to the stone in 

 one case or leave it readily in another, an inkling 

 will be gained of the complications of the prob- 

 lem in heredity that confronts the developer of 

 an improved race of cherries. 



But the full significance of these complications 

 can scarcely be appreciated wholly by anyone 



