LUTHER BURBANK 



the surface soil materially affected the growth of 

 a tree already more than five centuries old, stimu- 

 lating it to new vigor and cellular activity. 



This observation shows that even the oldest tree 

 is not beyond reach of the benefits of soil culti- 

 vation; and the experience of any number of 

 orchardists proves the immense benefit that young 

 trees derive from such cultivation. It is probable 

 that the foresters of the future will cultivate the 

 soil about the roots of their timber-producing 

 trees, just as the orchardist already cultivates the 

 soil about his fruit producers. In any event, the 

 grower of ornamental trees and shrubs in street 

 and dooryard should on no account neglect to give 

 his proteges the benefit of rich and regular culti- 

 vation of that soil for a number of feet about the 

 trunk. 



Among trees other than bearers of fruit and 

 nuts to which Mr. Burbank has given much atten- 

 tion are the magnolia, Chinese maidenhair tree, 

 and numerous conifers. A young sequoia ("big 

 tree") under close observation is among the most 

 interesting ornamental trees now growing in his 

 garden. 



Sometimes it happens that a tree that has a 

 good root and leaf system fails to grow as rap- 

 idly as it might because it becomes "bark- 

 bound." Through some defect in the quality of 

 its bark, the trunk is constricted and its growth 

 prevented somewhat as if it were encased in an 

 inelastic artificial jacket. 



Where this defect exists, it may readily be 

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