LUTHER BURBANK 



If your orchard site slopes toward the south, 

 and does not lie in the shade of mountains nor 

 where it is subject to the equalizing influence of a 

 large body of water, the trees are likely to be so 

 stimulated by the nearly perpendicular rays of the 

 sun as to blossom before the time of the last frost. 

 Early blossoming might at first thought be consid- 

 ered an advantage; but in point of fact it is a gen- 

 eral rule that plants which blossom early ripen 

 their fruit late, whereas those that blossom late 

 are usually early ripeners. The obvious explana- 

 tion is that the trees that flower late and ripen 

 early have had to adapt themselves to short sea- 

 sons. 



The wisdom of their course is emphasized 

 when we see the early blossoms of trees on a 

 southern slope cut off by a late frost, while trees 

 otherwise situated in the neighborhood have not 

 yet come to blooming time. 



The danger of entire loss from late frosts may 

 be obviated, however, by the selection of varieties 

 that will mature fruit even after the blossoms have 

 been frozen. I have developed such varieties of 

 fruit trees in a number of instances. There are 

 also varieties that have a long blooming season, 

 and these may be depended upon to put forth new 

 blossoms even if the earlier ones were blasted. 

 But in general it is desirable to select a variety of 



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