LUTHER BURBANK 



as to the exceptional qualities that they presently 

 manifested. 



After all, it is more important to know just 

 what the little seedlings achieved than to attempt 

 to say just what share different causes had in the 

 achievement. 



In view of the very remarkable results, it 

 should perhaps be explained that the Japanese 

 plums are in general subject to great variation; 

 the reason being that it has been the custom, 

 which still prevails pretty largely, to raise the 

 fruit from seed instead of propagating it by 

 grafting, as is done in this country and in Europe. 



So the little seedlings that came to me were 

 doubtless of mixed heritage. In a word they had 

 been produced by cross-fertilization between 

 races not thoroughly fixed. 



In dealing with them I profited by experi- 

 ments that had been made, doubtless quite unwit- 

 tingly, and with the aid only of insect pollenizers, 

 in Japan in the preceding plant generation. 



In any event, it was demonstrated in due 

 course that the seedlings were a very remarkable 

 lot. Each of the twelve produced fruit of inter- 

 esting character, and two of them showed a prod- 

 uct altogether out of the ordinary. 



Both of these were introduced in 1889, and 

 met with immediate and permanent success. 



[24] 



