88 LUTHER BURBANK 



improved combined with stonelessness until I 

 obtained two or three fine plums and prunes. 



These were grafted extensively and seedlings 

 raised and selected for still further improvement. 



Some of the earlier results of these experi- 

 ments were exhibited at the Pan-American Ex- 

 position at Buffalo, New York, in 1901, and 

 aroused much interest among fruit growers. 

 None of these, however, was worthy of introduc- 

 tion as a commercial fruit. 



The plum called Miracle was the first of the 

 stoneless plums to be introduced. 



This is borne on a rather slow-growing tree 

 and has the size, flavor and appearance of a small 

 Damson, being about an even balance between 

 the French prune and the original sans noyau in 

 most of its characters. Some years it is quite 

 productive, but it is not an altogether depend- 

 able bearer. 



A representative of the Oregon Nursery Com- 

 pany, on a visit to my Sebastopol grounds in 

 1903, was greatly pleased with this variety, and 

 at once purchased it. It has been advertised and 

 grown quite extensively. Its flesh is of such 

 quality as to be chiefly valuable for the making 

 of jam. 



At that time it was the best stoneless plum in 

 existence. But its chief merit was that it was 



