218 LUTHER BURBANK 



tion of the extent of these difficulties, I may note 

 that I have grown on my experiment farms not 

 fewer than 200,000 seedling apples, from the 

 best standard varieties, since 1886, when I first 

 definitely turned attention to this fruit; and 

 that out of the entire number a single dozen 

 now stand out somewhat prominently as being 

 superior. 



There are others, to be sure, not yet come to 

 the fruiting age, that may surpass any yet pro-, 

 duced in a combination of good qualities. Some 

 of the individuals improve in certain points from 

 year to year, and reveal new strength in certain 

 valued characters, while others may fail to fulfill 

 their early promise. The test must extend over 

 a series of years, after the trees have commenced 

 to bear, and each new strength or weakness in 

 every direction must be noted with unflinching 

 fidelity for many seasons. 



With the record of my own experiments as a 

 guide, let us briefly glance over the field, to gain 

 such clues as we may to the opportunities that 

 still lie open for the betterment of this fruit. 



A FEW PRACTICAL HINTS 



Great emphasis has been laid on the fact that 

 apples do not breed true from seed. It should be 

 noted, however, that some varieties are much 



