ao6 THE NEW AGRICULTURE. 



public. The phenomena of the Smyrna fig newly developed 

 on the Pacific Slope furnishes excellent data for forecasting 

 the market demands for the seedless apple. 



On the Western slope Burbank is attracting the world's 

 attention by his wonder-working in plant creation. He found 

 by chance a little, ugly, worthless wild plum, having its stone 

 almost obliterated by a fortuitous variation. This he pro- 

 ceeded to cross and cultivate and select, until now he has fixed 

 this pitless characteristic. Its flavor is not yet satisfactory, 

 and he is continuing the breeding to improve it in this regard 

 also. Progress is not rapid, but it is steady and certain, so 

 that a plum of solid meat which one may sever with a knife 

 as if it were a potato is among the new fruits which the grow- 

 ers of California and districts of similar climatic conditions 

 will some day be able to supply by the car load to the consumers 

 of the world. 



The plumcot, a three-parent hybrid, but so distinct from 

 any known fruit as to deserve a distinct name and be known 

 as a new creation, is a large and luscious fruit, beautiful, 

 nutritious and delicious, and bound to become popular, and 

 hence of both commercial and economic importance. 



The pomato is, in so far as the manner of its bearing is 

 concerned, a tomato, but the vine is like that of a potato, and 

 in several respects it would seem to be a potato growing bot- 

 tom side up. In shape the fruit is about that of the tomato, but 

 it is white instead of red, and it is fragrant and juicy. Its 

 flavor, unlike anything known in this country, is somewhat 

 similar to that of the po-ha berry of the Hawaiian Islands. 

 It makes an excellent article for cooking, and it may also be 

 eaten out of hand. 



It is impossible within the limits of a single chapter to give 



