LUTHER BURBANK 



pear overrides adversity, as it were, bearing 

 abundantly in bad soils and when totally 

 neglected; the fact that it grows by roadsides 

 and in dooryards showing a domestic habit and 

 as it were a friendly spirit toward man; and 

 finally, the fact that it responds to attention and 

 proves as receptive and responsive to really good 

 treatment as it is resistant to bad. 



But I am by no means sure that as to most of 

 these traits, and for that matter in regard to any 

 others that might be mentioned, the apple tree 

 is not to be given a place quite on a par with 

 that which the pear can claim. There is no 

 occasion to discuss the matter, however, for at 

 best such comparisons have no great significance. 



Let it suffice that the pear and the apple, close 

 cousins as they are, may very well be considered 

 the two orchard trees that are friendliest to man, 

 in the broad use of the word. 



They have been his associates probably almost 

 from the earliest times when he learned that 

 plants would respond to cultivation. 



They have gone with him on his chief migra- 

 tions throughout the temperate zone and even 

 well into subarctic regions. 



They have proved themselves adaptable to 

 all soils and nearly all climates; and they jointly 

 produce a variety of pulpy fruits that stand in a 



