LUTHER BURBANK 



It has already been mentioned that I was able 

 to hybridize the gooseberry and the currant. The 

 cross is very difficult to make, however, and in 

 my experience the hybrids were sterile. This sug- 

 gested that the two plants, notwithstanding their 

 affinities as judged from the standpoint of the 

 botanist, have really diverged rather widely. But 

 there are many species of gooseberry as well as 

 of currant, and it would doubtless be possible to 

 find varieties of the two plants that have closer 

 affinity. The hybridizing of these would offer 

 interesting possibilities. 



I have experimented extensively with the 

 gooseberry, as with the currant, and have pro- 

 duced a great number of gooseberries of superior 

 quality; none, however, that were really notable. 



Some of my most interesting experiments had 

 to do with the native species known as the Coast 

 gooseberry, Ribes divarication, which grows 

 around Tomales Bay. 



I have also worked with the Canyon goose- 

 berry, Ribes menzieszi, a tall rapid-growing shrub 

 with rather small leaves and very prickly stems. 



The berries of this variety resemble a chestnut 

 burr rather than a gooseberry, the spines occupy- 

 ing the whole surface of the fruit. The fruit itself 

 is excellent in flavor and is prepared for eating 

 by being placed in hot water so as to soften the 



[162] 



