LUTHER BURBANK 



In addition to this foreigner and a Russian 

 species which produces black fruit, there are sev- 

 eral native species that may perhaps be advantage- 

 ously brought into the cross when the hybridizing 

 experiments are undertaken. 



These include the two western barberries 

 (Berberis repens and Berberis acrifolia), some- 

 times classified as a subspecies called Mahonia, 

 and colloquially sometimes called Oregon grapes, 

 because of the clusters of bluish-black fruit. 

 These are both handsome dwarf evergreen 

 shrubs abundant from British America to Central 

 California, also in Colorado. There is also a 

 purple-leaved variety, otherwise not unlike the 

 common barberry, and there are varieties with 

 variegated white or yellow leaves and varieties 

 bearing white, yellow, and black fruit in striking 

 contrast to the red fruit of the common species. 

 Moreover there are varieties that bear fruit that 

 is altogether seedless. 



All in all, then, there is opportunity for such 

 blending of racial characteristics as should give 

 the hybrid barberries an impetus to variation, and 

 afford opportunity for rapid development. 



My experiments in selection may be regarded 

 as constituting pioneer work, and as affording 

 material for the hybridizing experiments through 

 which the plant may be perfected as a fruit 



[244] 



