358 LUTHER BURBANK 



rivers where it may attach itself to a young alder. 

 As alder and grape grow, the tree supports the 

 vine until it reaches a height of sometimes one 

 hundred feet and has a trunk twelve to eighteen 

 inches in diameter which may seem almost in- 

 credible to Eastern people unfamiliar with oui 

 flora. 



The fruit of the California grape is produced 

 in small quantity and is quite variable in this 

 locality. It ripens late, is sour, without flavor, 

 and is generally insignificant in all respects. It 

 is sometimes used for jellies. 



Of the world-wide and supremely important 

 commercial species commonly called the Euro- 

 pean grape (Vitis vinifera) I have worked 

 largely with the Tokay variety with the idea of 

 inducing this vigorous vine, which bears such an 

 abundance of large, handsome fruit, to combine 

 hardy qualities and freedom from mildew with 

 its characteristic excellence of fruit. 



The fruit of many of the seedlings is quite 

 acid, but some are far sweeter than the Flame 

 Tokay, and much earlier, which is most impor- 

 tant as the Flame Tokay ripens too late for our 

 coast climates. 



These seedlings have of course been rigidly 

 selected to avoid mildew, susceptibility to which 

 is one of the faults of the Tokay, especially in 



