LUTHER BURBANK 



bears only for a relatively short term of years — 

 often only ten or fifteen at most — the vast eco- 

 nomic importance of this possible improvement 

 will be quite obvious. 



A Stoneless Peach? 



As to the fruit itself, there is =one opportunity 

 for improvement that is particularly inviting — the 

 possibility of producing a stoneless peach. 



The desirability of such a development, from 

 the standpoint of the peach consumer, requires 

 no demonstration. From the standpoint of the 

 tree itself, a reduction in the stone would be 

 highly important. It costs a peach tree to produce 

 a pound of stones probably as much as to produce 

 many pounds of pulp. 



The drain on the vitality of the tree in pro- 

 ducing the stone that it no longer 'needs must take 

 from it in some measure the capacity for produc- 

 tion of fruit pulp that it might otherwise have. 



The hybridizing experiments with the almond 

 have influenced the stone of the fruit in a sug- 

 gestive w-ay. Some of my hybrid peaches have a 

 kernel that is almost as sweet and edible as the 

 kernel of the almond. As yet I have not secured 

 a peach having really good quality of flesh com- 

 bined with the edible seed. But'fliat this combi- 

 nation might be effected, if one were to select for 

 it, admits of no question. 



[168] 



