ON THE POSSIBILITIES 



and vegetables ahead of time, there is an almost 

 equally great demand, later on in the season, from 

 the canners. 



The illustration of the asparagus which stands 

 canning as against equally good asparagus which 

 does not, typifies the needs of this demand. The 

 same truth applies to tree fruits and berries 

 and vegetables — to everything that undergoes the 

 preserving process. 



Some plants are more profitable when their 

 bearing season is lengthened as much as possible; 

 some, as has been seen, when it is made earlier 

 or later; but Mr. Burbank faced a different con- 

 dition when he produced his Empson pea. 



The canners wanted a very small green pea 

 to imitate the French one which is so much used. 

 Quite a little problem in chemistry was involved. 

 Peas half grown are two-thirds sweeter than peas 

 full grown, because, toward the end, their sugar 

 begins to go a step further and turn into starch. 

 With these demands in mind, Mr. Burbank planted 

 and selected, and planted and selected until be 

 had the qualities he wanted in a pea of the right 

 size when it was half ripe. 



But still another element entered — peas for 

 canning should ripen all at one time and not 

 straggle out over a week or two. The reason 

 for this being that, if they ripen all at once, they 



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