LUTHER BURBANK 



ing the effect of hybridizing hundreds of other 

 species, it is interesting to make inquiry as to why 

 the first generation hybrids of the plum and 

 almond showed such anomalous diversity. 



I am inclined to think that the answer may be 

 found in the assumption that either one parent 

 or the other was itself a hybrid. Perhaps both 

 parents were hybrids. The fact that almonds are 

 known to cross with the peach and the nectarine 

 to which reference will be made more at length 

 presently lends color to this assumption. And of 

 course there is no question that the Japanese plums 

 are largely hybridized. In a word, then, the 

 hybrids produced by cross-pollenizing the Japan- 

 ese plum and the almond were probably in reality 

 second generation hybrids having the strains of 

 other species than the almond and the Japanese 

 plum in their veins. 



Be this as it may, the facts as to the curious 

 diversity among the plum-almond hybrids have 

 more than passing interest. 



It should further be recorded that the diversity 

 in size was matched by the wide range of diversity 

 in minor characteristics. The bark and leaves 

 varied extensively among the different hybrids; 

 on some trees the buds were round and plump, 

 and on others long and sharp. Many of the trees 

 produced somewhat abundant blossoms, and the 



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