152 LUTHER BURBA1STK 



where it is needed; which, in the case under con- 

 sideration is the kernel of the fruit. 



The process of sugar manufacture with the 

 final storing of the sweet product in the flesh of 

 the prune, constitutes, as I have just suggested, 

 one of the most marvelous manifestations of the 

 power of vegetable cells. Indeed, it is precisely 

 this capacity that differentiates vegetable tissues 

 from all animal tissues whatever; for the 

 biologists tell us that no living organism, high or 

 low, save only the vegetable, is capable of manu- 

 facturing a single molecule of starch, much less 

 a molecule of sugar out of inorganic materials. 



So a thoughtful person can scarcely fail to re- 

 gard even so plebeian a thing as a prune with a 

 certain measure of wonderment, almost of awe, if 

 he allows himself to reflect on the mysterious pro- 

 cesses that have taken place within its structure. 



THE ELEMENTS or VARIATION 



From the present standpoint, however, we are 

 not so much concerned with the mysteries of 

 plant chemistry as with the extremely practical 

 fact that the new Sugar prune developed in my 

 orchard has the fixed habit of setting its sugar- 

 making laboratory in operation several weeks 

 earlier than had been the custom with the ances- 

 tral races of prunes. 



