110 LUTHER BURBANK 



the world, to be made aware of the possibilities 

 of growth that are present in the racial strains of 

 the family of cone bearers. And even if these 

 giants shall be regarded as representatives of an 

 antique order that outlived its era, there remain 

 numerous pines and firs and hemlocks of mag- 

 nificent proportions to test the skill of the plant 

 developer for their betterment and there is 

 every probability that the coast redwood and the 

 Sierra big tree may be crossed, and a variety 

 produced that will be adapted to new conditions 

 and which will outgrow all other trees. 



Nothing could be easier than to cross-pollen- 

 ize members of this tribe, inasmuch as the pollen 

 is produced in the utmost profusion, and the 

 pistillate flowers are exposed when mature in 

 the nascent cones awaiting fructification. That 

 cross-fertilization occurs among the wild trees 

 through the agency of the wind is a matter of 

 course. Doubtless there are hybrid species of 

 pines and their allies, everywhere often unrecog- 

 nized or classified as good species. Quite large 

 forests mostly composed of hybrid cypresses are 

 found in California, and the oaks are known to 

 hybridize frequently; also the eucalyptus trees 

 of various species. 



If study were made of individual conifers in 

 any forest region where different species are 



