LUTHER BURBANK 
the seed or by transplanting seedlings, it is recom- 
mended that it should be located on a well drained 
gravelly soil. The trees thrive well on rocky hill- 
sides, and even on rather poor sand, but observa- 
tion has shown that they are somewhat uncertain 
of growth on stiff clay soils in the east, although 
Italian chestnuts in California are said to thrive 
on heavy clays. In general, the experts consider it 
more important to have a thoroughly drained soil 
than soil of a particular character. 
The authors of the Government Bulletin that 
has urged the merits of the chestnut as a commer- 
cial crop show that the chinquapin chestnuts are 
practically free from the blights that have hitherto 
menaced the American species. 
It will be recalled that my new varieties were 
developed on the foundation of stocks imported 
from Japan. It will also be understood, as a mat- 
ter of course, that my selections with this tree as 
with all other plants have been made always with 
an eye to the exclusion of any races that showed 
susceptibility to fungus pests of any kind. 
As an illustration of the care with which these 
selections were made, in the development of the 
perfected varieties, I may note that in various 
instances only three or four seedlings were selected 
out of a company of ten thousand. I may add that 
orchards made by grafting cions of these im- 
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