Scientific Aspects of l^uther Burbank ' s W irk 



But let us follow our saved plum seedling. 

 Have we now to wait the six or seven years before 

 a plum tree comes into bearing to know by actual 

 seeing and testing what new sort of plum we have ? 

 No; and here again is one of Burbank' s contribu- 

 tions (not wholly original to be sure, but original 

 in the extent and perfection of its development) 

 to the scientific aspects of plant-breeding. This 

 saved seedling and other similar saved ones (for 

 from the examination of 20,000 seedlings, say, 

 Burbank will find a few tens or even scores in 

 which he has faith of reward) will be taken from 

 their plots and grafted on to the sturdy branches of 

 some full-grown vigorous plum tree, so that in the 

 next season or second next our seedling stem will 

 bear its flowers and fruits. Here are years saved. 

 Twenty, forty, sixty, different seedlings grafted 

 on to one strong tree (in a particular instance 

 Burbank had 600 plum grafts on a single tree ! ) ; 

 and each seedling-stem certain to bear its own kind 

 of leaf and flower and fruit. For we have long 

 known that the scion is not materially influenced 



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