LUTHER BURBANK 



the hybrids; without exception their leaves were 

 trifoliate like the leaf of the strawberry. 



In other words, in the matter of foliage, the 

 strawberry plant was entirely prepotent or domi- 

 nant, and the characteristics of the other parent 

 were latent or recessive. 



When the hybrids were old enough, they were 

 carefully set out in rows in the open field. For 

 a month or more after transplanting they showed 

 no inclination to depart from the habit of the 

 strawberry. To close inspection it might appear 

 that the main stem was unusually thick, and that 

 the leaves were a little more wrinkled than is 

 usual with the strawberry, and their edges slightly 

 more serrated. But aside from this, the hybrid 

 plants were seemingly true strawberries. 



About the first of June, however, the plants 

 began to throw out underground stolons, whereas 

 strawberry runners are normally on the surface. 

 These stolons suggested roots of the raspberry, 

 yet the new plants that sprang from them here 

 and there were exactly like the strawberry plants. 

 So at this stage it would seem that the influence 

 of the mother parent had been but slight. 



But along in July came the transformation. 

 Rather suddenly each main plant sent up two, 

 three, or more strong smooth canes, which grew 

 to the height of from two to five feet. These 



[292] 



