LUTHER BURBANK 



green leaf of tree or shrub or vine or the tiniest 

 blade of grass — as in some respects the most 

 wonderful thing in the world. 



"When the wise plant developer goes into his 

 garden or orchard, therefore, his eyes turn always 

 first and foremost to the leaves of the plants with 

 which he works. 



The reader will perhaps recollect that over and 

 over I have called attention to the predictions that 

 may be made as to the future fruiting powers of a 

 given plant — apple seedling or pear seedling or 

 grape seedling or what not — from observation of 

 the leaves. The reason for this will now perhaps 

 be more apparent. It will be still more clearly 

 evident if we inquire a little more in detail as to 

 the exact processes that take place within the 

 structure of the leaf-laboratory in which is brought 

 about the all-essential manufacture of food on 

 which the future growth of the plant itself and 

 its fruiting possibilities must absolutely depend. 



No one needs to be told that all normal leaves 

 are green in color. But perhaps it may not have 

 occurred to you what a really remarkable fact this 

 is. The trunks and branches and roots of plants 

 may vary widely in color; and flowers and fruits 

 may show all diversities of the rainbow. But from 

 one Arctic circle to the other and around the 

 circumference of the globe, plants of every tribe 



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