THE STEPMOTHER TREE 
have grown if it had depended on its own roots. Finally 
the roots of the young seedling were cut off. Later the 
top of the old tree was cut off. This turned all the vigor 
of the four-year-old tree into the seedling. It grew as 
such a young plant had never grown before. In the sec¬ 
ond year, so full of vigor was it that it bore fruit. The 
owner of the orchard got some of his choice peaches in 
two years instead of six. 
This use of the stepmother tree has proved a great help 
to scientists who have been experimenting with the de¬ 
velopment of new fruits. A scientist may cross one sort 
of plum with another. He is hoping that he may develop 
a better plum. Or he may cross an orange with a grape¬ 
fruit, this being possible since these plants are closely 
related. He is most anxious to know what will result 
from the crossing. At best he may have to wait through 
tedious years. Then, to develop a superior fruit, he may 
have to again select certain plants, cross them, and wait 
for results. 
By using the stepmother tree in such experiments the 
scientist can hurry nature. He can reduce, from six years 
to two, the time he will have to wait between the different 
stages of the experiment. Thus is the tedium of such ex¬ 
periments lessened and the likelihood increased that the 
experiments will be carried through to final results. 
99 
