LUTHER BURBANK 



When this blend of bloom and velvet was 

 noted, experiments were made to determine how 

 much handling it would withstand. A dozen 

 plumcots were passed around from hand to hand 

 possibly hundreds of times, and then left to decay, 

 the condition of the velvet bloom being noted from 

 time to time. 



While there was a slight decrease in the bril- 

 liancy of the bloom, yet it persisted to a surprising 

 degree even after the flesh of the plumcot had 

 decayed. 



The accompanying color photograph prints 

 show clearly the difference in appearance between 

 the plum and the plumcot after being subjected 

 to handling. 



The value of this characteristic is greater than 

 might first be estimated. Plums lose their bloom 

 to a great extent, even on the tree — by brushing 

 of leaves or chafing together. Wherever foliage 

 or other fruit touches it, the bloom is injured or 

 destroyed beyond repair. It is of course impossible 

 to get the plum to market without rubbing off the 

 greater part of the bloom and giving the fruit a 

 mussy appearance. In making the photographs 

 in these books, in fact, it has been found ditficult, 

 first to find the fruit which has a perfect bloom on 

 the tree; and second, to get the plum in front of 

 the camera without defacing it. 



[250] 



