LUTHER BURBANK 



bines the qualities of the strawberry and the rasp- 

 berry would be a very valuable and interesting 

 acquisition. 



If you will take the trouble to fertilize the 

 flowers of the raspberry and blackberry with 

 pollen of the strawberry (it would be well to make 

 the reciprocal crosses also) it may fall to your lot 

 to produce a fertile hybrid that will be as unique 

 and remarkable an addition to the list of small 

 fruits as is, for example, Mr. Burbank's plumcot 

 among orchard fruits. 



Again, we must not overlook the currants and 

 gooseberries. These have small flowers, and 

 hence are not quite so easy to work with. But 

 with the aid of a magnifying-glass they may read- 

 ily be cross-pollenized, and there is ample oppor- 

 tunity for the development of new varieties. It 

 is particularly desirable, for example, that goose- 

 berries should be developed that are without the 

 disagreeable hairs or prickles that most varieties 

 of this fruit bear, also without thorns on the 

 bushes. A sweet and high-flavored gooseberry 

 would also be welcomed. Plants that are resistant 

 to mildew are also to be desired. 



Mr. Burbank has shown that the different cur- 

 rants and gooseberries may be cross-fertilized 

 readily. There are numerous varieties under cul- 

 tivation that may be used in hybridizing experi- 

 ments, and there are also wild species to be found 

 in many regions that might advantageously be 

 tested. In many cases a wild species has qualities 

 of hardiness and vigorous growth that may ad- 



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