164 LUTHER BURBANK 



conifers with which to work. The reasonable 

 hardiness of the tree and its adaptation to all 

 soils and climates are further merits that com- 

 mend it to the attention of the plant developer, 

 whether he have in mind a tree for ornament or 

 for reforestation. 



The experimenter should know, however, that 

 the seed of the Abies,, unlike that of the red- 

 wood and some other conifers, retain their vital- 

 ity for a short time only. If attention is given 

 to the securing of fresh seed, the experiments 

 can scarcely fail to go forward successfully. 



There are, of course, almost numberless other 

 species and varieties of conifers that hold out in- 

 viting opportunities for the plant developer. A 

 beginning may be made with almost any varieties 

 that chance to grow in your vicinity, and the 

 facility with which the different varieties may be 

 reproduced, together with the wide range of 

 variation, offer opportunity for selection and in- 

 sure interesting developments, provided you 

 have sufficient patience to wait for them. 



SOME DECIDUOUS FAVORITES 



But if there are no broad-leafed trees that 

 quite equal the hardest of the conifers in capac- 

 ity to withstand cold and to draw nourishment 

 from sandy or rocky soils under disheartening 



