NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 



this case he has begun this shortening by the 

 introduction of a better berry-producing strain 

 of blood. Selecting the very best of the thorn- 

 less berries, these are crossed with choice va- 

 rieties of blackberries now known, in order to 

 give to the berry-to-be, size, flavor, richness, 

 color, general excellence. It is not unlikely 

 that the newly created berry may be even bet- 

 ter than any of its best ancestors, in addition 

 to its thornlessness, for it brings to the test 

 great hardiness and virility. The best offspring 

 of the crosses with the berries of better fruit 

 are in turn selected and so on as the test ad- 

 vances, always making selection of the very 

 best and making no combination or blending 

 which does not promise some pronounced ex- 

 cellence for the new fruit. 



So, within a few years the test will be per- 

 fected, just as hundreds of others have been 

 perfected, and there will come into common 

 use a series of fine new thornless blackberries, 

 making their compelling appeal to all of us 

 who would prefer to have our berries without 

 their exasperating thorns. 



Brief reference was made in a preceding 

 chapter to the work which was under way at 



410 



