LUTHER BURBANK 



on the peach, and then grafting on this the cion 

 of the desired variety. 



This is obviously a rather tedious procedure. 

 Fortunately it has been discovered that the Myro- 

 bolan plum furnishes good roots on which almost 

 all plums may be grafted, and this stock is becom- 

 ing very popular. The roots of the apricot are also 

 sometimes used successfully. On deep, dry soil, 

 almond stock often gives the best results. 



But, of course, there will be great advantage if 

 the plum can be made to grow a good set of roots 

 of its own. It should be recalled that an abundance 

 of roots is always closely correlated with abun- 

 dance of foliage. One may tell at once in the 

 orchard whether a tree has a good set of roots by 

 observation of the foliage. And the close de- 

 pendence of the roots on the foliage is a matter of 

 common observation. 



Many orchardists fail to realize how completely 

 the roots are governed by the amount of foliage. 

 And even when this is realized the observed condi- 

 tions are not always correctly interpreted. If the 

 foliage did not govern the roots, our orchard trees 

 would be of all sizes and of all degrees of vigor, 

 whereas now, when grafted on seedlings of varying 

 degrees of vigor, the trees are uniform. 



As to the stem of the tree, this should come up 

 straight as a flag-staff, and should branch sturdily, 



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