LUTHER BURBANK 



To be quite specific, and to bring us back di- 

 rectly to the practicalities of the subject in hand, 

 the development of the germ cell must have led 

 to the production of the particular fruit called 

 the apple. 



What, then, practically does there remain for 

 the plant investigator to do in the apple orchard? 



With eight thousand varieties of apple on the 

 market, just how shall we come in competition 

 and produce a new variety that will commend 

 itself as having some points of superiority to any 

 existing? Unless we can do that, it assuredly is 

 not worth while to cumber the market with a new 

 apple. There are enough inferior fruits already 

 in the field. Let us by all means refrain from 

 adding to their number. 



What has been said suggests that the task ahead 

 of us, in the perfectionment of the apple, does not 

 lack difficulties. As a tangible illustration of the 

 extent of these difficulties, I may note that I have 

 grown on my experiment farms not fewer than 

 50,000 seedling apples, from the best standard va- 

 rieties, since 1886, when I first definitely turned 

 attention to this fruit; and that out of the entire 

 number a single dozen now stand out somewhat 

 prominently as being superior. 



There are others, to be sure, not yet come to 

 the fruiting age, that may surpass any yet pro- 



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