LUTHER BURBANK 



Nearly all were worthless plants, some of 

 which seemed hardly to have vitality enough to 

 live, much less to produce fruit. Others bore 

 small, unattractive berries, insignificant in every 

 respect. Three or four individuals, however, grew 

 with unusual vigor. They differed so widely from 

 the others that I was at first inclined to suspect 

 that they were dewberries unhybridized. As to 

 this, however, I was in error. 



One of these exceptional vines was particu- 

 larly notable. It neither trailed nor stood up- 

 right, but took an intermediate position. The 

 leaves were not palmate like those of the rasp- 

 berry, nor were they like the foliage of the dew- 

 berry. They were a compromise between the two. 



The fruit, which was larger than that of either 

 parent, resembled the blackberry most in form, 

 but was of a dark mulberry color. 



"When the fruit was just ripe it parted from 

 the stem like the blackberry; but when fully ma- 

 ture the core came out as it does in the raspberry. 



Thus the combination of all these important 

 characteristics was almost absolutely complete. 

 The hybrid was a perfect blend. 



It was this plant that was christened the 

 Primus berry. 



Seedlings by the thousand were raised from 

 this selected hybrid and all of them came as true 



[56] 



