262 LUTHER BURBANK 



The quest of prune trees became such a hobby 

 that it came to be the current jest when anyone 

 Was asked for to respond: "Well, if you do not 

 find him in town, you will probably find him at 

 Burbank's waiting for some trees." 



In course of time more land was needed, the 

 four-acre place in the very heart of Santa Rosa 

 was purchased which was in future to be my home 

 and the seat of many of the most important 

 experiments. 



This place was then a neglected, run-down 

 plot which had been on the market for many 

 years. The land was about as poor as could be 

 found anywhere. Many attempts had been made 

 to cultivate it, but a crop had not been grown 

 upon it for a long time, if ever. 



Such a plot of land did not seem to offer great 

 inducements for a nurseryman. But I had a 

 plan in mind that would transform it. 



The first move was to place tiles under the 

 whole tract at a depth of four feet, thus draining 

 the land which had at one time been the bottom 

 of a pond. At the same time the ground was 

 carefully graded. Then, as stable manure could 

 be had for the hauling 1,800 loads of it were 

 obtained, and delivered on the four acres. This 

 was spread so thickly that it was impossible to 

 plow it under without the aid of several men, 



