Luther Burbank's Plum Tree In 1955 I was spending the summer
camping in Wyoming, Montana, British Colombia, Washington,
Oregon and California with my family and a friend. In Santa
Rosa, California, we were lucky to visit Luther Burbank's
home—part of which was surrounded by his test gardens. Burbank
was a horticultural genius and created many new crops that we
take for granted today—including the russet potato, Shasta daisy
and spineless prickly pear cactus. Hidden among these gardens
was a plum tree, about twenty-feet high and as large in
diameter, with many branches. We discovered that it was not just
a normal plum tree—but one with 30 to 40 varieties grafted on
it! Just think—a full spectrum of colors, flavors and maturation
dates all on one tree! Just One or A Few Fruit Trees? This got
me to thinking. It is easier to take care of a few trees. You
can make sure that the soils are in good shape, that the trees
are exquisitely pruned and that each fruit is harvested on time.
But would just one or a few fruit