LUTHER BURBANK 



bearer. Already the fruit has been made large 

 and of better flavor, and the seeds have been mini- 

 mized. With the aid of crosses of the species 

 named, and also, probably, with the introduction 

 of the racial strains of a wild species of western 

 Texas, Utah, and Mexico (Herberts fremonti), 

 which I now have under culture, and which some- 

 times bears fruit of exceptional size and superior 

 quality, though not as abundantly as most other 

 species, it should be possible to produce a new 

 race of barberries that will be a valuable addition 

 to the rather meager list of small fruits. 

 IMPROVING THE ELAEAGNUS 



During the early years of my work in Cali- 

 fornia I kept in close touch with all the importa- 

 tions made from Japan by the H. H. Berger Co., 

 of San Francisco, and others. From them I re- 

 ceived, among other plants, a curious fruit-bearing 

 plant from Japan, known in its native country as 

 the Goumi Berry, and classified by botanists as 

 Elaeagnus longipes. 



No other importation of a member of this genus 

 had hitherto been made, so I viewed the plant with 

 particular interest, and was especially struck with 

 the seeming possibilities of improving its fruit. 



The Elaeagnus longipes bears flowers of a 

 bright, brownish-yellow color, subject to a good 

 deal of variation. The fruit is a berry of varying 



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