LUTHER BURBANK 
There is a great difference among the different 
chestnuts as to the amount of their sugar content. 
In some species the starch is so little transformed 
that the nuts are scarcely edible unless cooked. In 
others there is an abundant sugar content the nuts 
being sweet and palatable. Of course I have had 
this matter in mind in developing my hybrid vari- 
eties. But there is still opportunity for improve- 
ment. 
It is also desirable to reduce the amount of 
tannin contained in some of the chinquapin 
varieties. 
Some of the chinquapin varieties also have the 
habit of holding the leaves during the winter, giv- 
ing the trees a very untidy appearance. Seedlings 
that show this tendency should be avoided in 
making selection. 
PoINTsS IN SELECTION 
Of course it is elementary to say that the nuts 
should be selected for dark, rich, glossy brown 
color, for tenderness of flesh, and for productive- 
ness. Of my three introduced varieties, all were 
early and abundant bearers, but one was particu- 
larly notable for its earliness, and another for its 
combination of good qualities. 
Doubtless the feature that is next in line of 
improvement in the development of the chestnut 
is the bur itself, which should be made spineless. 
[126] 
