60 LUTHER BURBANK 



largely I owe the rapid progress of these experi- 

 ments in the development of new varieties of 

 chestnuts. 



Not only do many of the mixed hybrids show 

 this extraordinary precocity, but some of them 

 also develop the tendency to bear continuously. 

 On the same tree throughout most of the year 

 may be found flowers and ripe nuts. Flowers 

 both staminate and pistillate appear on the same 

 tree from time to time, season after season, and 

 in due course the flowers are replaced by grow- 

 ing nuts, so that there is a regular succession 

 month after month. 



This habit of continuous bearing, manifested 

 by a tree that ordinarily produces its flowers and 

 in turn its nuts at fixed seasons, is perhaps 

 scarcely less remarkable than the habit of early 

 bearing. Doubtless the two are genetically 



associated. 



CHESTNUT SEEDLINGS 



The care of the chestnut seedlings presents 

 no important complications. 



The general plan in selecting seedlings for 

 further tests is the same employed in the selec- 

 tion of seedling fruit trees. Prominent buds, 

 large leaves, thick, heavy twigs, almost invaria- 

 bly forecast large, fine fruit. There is, however, 

 an exception to be noted in the case of the Jap- 



