LUTHER BURBANK 



In Mexico, there is the familiar jumping bean 

 tree, which calls in an insect to aid in the distribu- 

 tion of its seeds. 



While these beans are still green, they are 

 visited by a moth which lays her eggs in them. 

 As they ripen, the grub hatches out and lives upon 

 the food stored within. 



As if in partnership with the moth, the jumping 

 bean tree has provided food for her offspring, so 

 that the larva has plentj^ to eat without injuring 

 the seed within the bean. 



And the grub, as it hollows out the bean and 

 jumps about within it, causes it to turn and roll — 

 rolls it into a new environment — repays its family 

 debt to the tree which gave it food. 

 ***** 



In the wooded mountains near Santa Rosa 

 there grows a pine tree which has worked out an 

 ingenious scheme for taking advantage of occa- 

 sional forest fires to aid it in its reproduction. 



Most other trees mature their nuts or seeds and 

 shed them every season. The animals may eat the 

 fruit and carry the seeds afar, or take the nuts to 

 new environments, or the seedlings may come up 

 at the foot of the parent tree — but the process of 

 seed bearing and seed shedding usually completes 

 its cycle every fall. 



The pine tree referred to, however, does not 



[98] 



