LUTHER BURBANK 



are giving us. Yet such a transformation is one 

 which might be easily wrought in a few years 

 through simple selection, and serves, here, to 

 illustrate the vast range of possibilities in plant 

 improvement which only wait willing hands and 

 active minds to turn them into realization. 



Immediate possibilities for plant improvement, 

 indeed, outnumber the improvements which have 

 already been wrought, ten thousand to one. 



It is planned in these books to treat of the 

 possibilities of each plant separately, in connection 

 with the description of the work which has 

 already been done, since each of Mr. Burbank's 

 improvements not only suggests countless other 

 improvements which he has not had the time to 

 take up, but indicates, in a measure, the method 

 by which their accomplishment may be brought 

 about. 



It may be well, at this point, however, to 

 survey, roughly, the range of possibilities for 

 improvement, so that, as we go along, Ave may 

 have an appreciative eye for the value of the 

 things which are clamoring to be done. 

 * + * * * 



The incident of the pectic acid is but one of 

 many unexpected improvements which Mr. Bur- 

 bank has discovered in his productions after his 

 first object has been achieved. 



[246] 



