LUTHER BURBANK 



require much capital except in brain and muscle, 

 but it is an achievement worth while." 



An achievement worth while, the renovation of 

 an old orchard, or even the rejuvenation of a 

 single tree, certainly is. I can gauge something 

 of the growing recognition of this fact from the 

 ever-increasing number of letters that come to me 

 from all parts of the world asking my opinion or 

 advice as to the possibility of restoration to use- 

 fulness of trees that their owners not long since 

 regarded as worthless. 



And I am usually able to assure the questioners 

 with a good deal of confidence that if they go about 

 it in the right way they will not merely restore 

 trees to their former level of productivity, but may 

 make them producers of fruit in such abundance 

 and of such quality as quite to outclass their orig- 

 inal record. 



HOUSECLEANING IN THE TfiEETOPS 



I need not here enter into details as to the exact 

 methods of operation through which such restora- 

 tion and rejuvenation of old orchard trees may be 

 brought about. Such details can be given to better 

 advantage in the chapters that deal with individ- 

 ual fruits. But there are a few general principles 

 applicable to the entire class of fruit trees that 

 may be briefly outlined. 



First and foremost, perhaps, is the matter of 



[42] 



