LUTHER BURBANK 



pollen of its nearest relations (except the almond) 

 unwillingly, and as yet no useful product has 

 come of such union. 



Yet the peach is not more isolated in this re- 

 gard than its relative, the apricot, seemed to be 

 until I was able, after many futile efforts, to 

 break through the barriers and hybridize that 

 fruit with the plum. The hybrid that resulted, 

 named the plumcot, is virtually a new species. It 

 combines the good qualities of both parents and 

 is a very valuable addition to the list of orchard 

 fruits. It seems not unlikely that some future ex- 

 perimenter will be able to effect a correspondingly 

 useful hybridization of the peach; then the way 

 will be open for the development of a race of 

 peaches that will combine with the existing quali- 

 ties of fruit production the qualities of hardiness 

 and resistance to disease that the present peach 

 tree so notably lacks. 



BIG FRUIT AND FREE BEARING 



Size of fruit and prolific bearing are charac- 

 teristics of such obvious desirability that they 

 cannot be overlooked even by the tyro. 



Yet the average amateur, who has a group of 

 fruit trees in his garden or even a fair-sized 

 orchard on his country place, is content to buy 

 large, handsome, and well-seasoned fruits in the 

 market, taking it for granted that his own trees 



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