LUTHER BURBANK 



ripen, and this complication may make the choos- 

 ing of the seedlings a more difficult matter than it 

 is in the case of apples, pears and peaches. For 

 when the growth is checked in this manner the 

 buds may become turgid and the leaves of unusual 

 size on some plants, suggesting great possibilities, 

 whereas, in point of fact, these plants may have 

 no greater intrinsic merit than others that have 

 continued their growth and so will show at the 

 moment smaller buds and leaves. 



These complications must be very carefully 

 taken into account in choosing seedlings to save 

 for the development of improved varieties. 



The general rule that large leaves, full buds, 

 and large short-jointed stems indicate individ- 

 uals that will bear large fruit of fine quality must 

 be constantly regarded, but the complications in- 

 troduced by the anomalous habit of growth just 

 referred to must not be overlooked. 



CAN THE MICROSCOPIST HELP? 



In carrying out a series of selections with the 

 idea of developing a race of apricots with blos- 

 soms resistant to low temperature, there is un- 

 fortunately little to be expected from crossing 

 different varieties of this species, because all ex- 

 isting varieties have been cultivated under more 

 or less the same climatic conditions. 



Indeed, the outlying forms to which one would 



[248] 



