86 LUTHER BURBANK 



mention was there made of the fact that all the 

 pecans now under cultivation are directly derived 

 from a few wild varieties that have been propa- 

 gated by budding and grafting. It is only in 

 recent years that a method of grafting this nut 

 successfully has been developed, and as yet little 

 or nothing has been done toward improving the 

 wild varieties. 



The fact that the nut in its wild state has such 

 attractive qualities gives full assurance that 

 under cultivation and development it will prove 

 of even greater value. 



In selecting the best wild varieties for cultiva- 

 tion, attention has been paid to the matter of 

 early bearing, and in particular to persistent 

 bearing. So the orchards that have recently been 

 started are stocked with trees that may be ex- 

 pected to bear crops of nuts in about seven or 

 eight years, and that may be depended on to pro- 

 duce a crop each year with reasonable certainty. 

 But as to both time of bearing and regularity and 

 abundance of production, there is still oppor- 

 tunity for much improvement. 



Doubtless improved varieties may be secured 

 through mere selection by raising seedlings from 

 the nuts grown on trees that were especially good 

 bearers. But it is probable, also, that the full 

 possibility of the pecan will not be realized until 



