LUTHER BURBANK 



The reader has already learned details of the 

 history of this Paradox walnut, and we shall have 

 something more to say of it in connection with a 

 further interpretation of the laws of heredity, in 

 a subsequent chapter. 



Here I refer to it only in connection with the 

 demonstration it gave of the possibility that new 

 types of forest trees might be developed by hybrid- 

 ization and selection, quite as had been claimed in 

 the comment that aroused such skeptical and even 

 sarcastic response from the professional forester. 



But, as I said, after this demonstration had 

 been made, it was no longer possible even for the 

 hidebound conservatist to deny the possibility that 

 forest trees, like other plants, are somewhat plastic 

 materials in the hands of the plant developer. 



And in course of time it came to be recognized 

 though even now the knowledge has scarcely 

 been acted on that the new idea given by obser- 

 vation of the Paradox walnut could be utilized for 

 the practical purpose of supplying us timber trees 

 that might be expected to re-stock our woodland 

 in a fraction of the time that would be required for 

 the growing of trees of unmodified wild species. 



The row of Paradox walnut trees which at 

 fifteen years of age were two feet in diameter and 

 towered as beautiful and symmetrical trees to the 

 height of sixty feet, standing just across the street 



[164] 



