LUTHER BURBANK 



parts readily, while in others it may separate from 

 the fruit and be shaken about within it even 

 before thoroughly ripe. 



There seem to be two forms of variation, one 

 in the time of attachment and the other in the 

 persistency of attachment. 



This persistency of attachment varies greatly; 

 in some fruit it would be possible by a little work 

 to cut around the stone and in others the flesh is 

 attached so closely that to remove the stone satis- 

 factorily you must have sharp tools and use them 

 with discretion. 



The old hereditary tendencies make it difficult 

 to change plum and prune heredity so that it will 

 produce freestones instead of clingstones. Never- 

 theless this has been accomplished with several 

 varieties, including the Standard prune. 



Of late the canners have preferred the cling- 

 stone peaches mostly, perhaps because they have 

 a firmer flesh that does not fall to pieces when 

 cooked, as the freestone peaches generally do. The 

 pit is very easily removed with a sharp instrument 

 made for the purpose. With this exception, fruits 

 are generally more valuable when they are free- 

 stone. 



THE CONQUEST A STONELESS PRUNE 



But what if the fruit had no stone at all? 



That would, indeed, be the ideal condition. And 



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