LUTHER BURBANK 



So I can see no escape from the conclusion 

 that this was a case of so-called sap-hybridism, 

 the very existence of which has been doubted. 



The purple-leaved cion had seemingly influ- 

 enced its host in such a way as to produce what 

 was to all intents and purposes a hybrid progeny. 



The new purple-leaved seedling was grafted 

 upon an old tree, and in due course I produced 

 several thousand second and third generation 

 offspring from the original seedling. The fruit is 

 of a characteristic red color, and in flavor it 

 closely resembles the fruit that the original purple- 

 leaved cion subsequently bore. In size the fruit 

 is intermediate between that of the purple-leaved 

 cion and that of the Kelsey. 



The descendants of this hybrid stock vary in 

 the second and succeeding generations, just as they 

 might be expected to do had they grown from 

 a hybrid seed produced by pollenation; thus 

 affording additional evidence that we have to do 

 with an actual case of sap-hybridism. 



Grafting to Save Space and Time 



I record this case thus at length because of its 

 extreme unusualness. 



Never in the entire course of my wide 

 experience have I seen another case in which I 

 could trace such definite influence between the 

 grafted cion and its foster parent. And so we may 



[160] 



