Chapter 25

           ThespringisbeautifulinCalifornia.Valleysinwhichthefruitblossomsarefragrantpinkandwhitewatersinashallowsea.Thenthefirsttendrilsofthegrapesswellingfromtheoldgnarledvines,cascadedowntocoverthetrunks.Thefullgreenhillsareroundandsoftasbreasts.Andonthelevelvegetablelandsarethemile-longrowsofpalegreenlettuceandthespindlylittlecauliflowers,thegray-greenunearthlyartichokeplants.

           Andthentheleavesbreakoutonthetrees,andthepetalsdropfromthefruittreesandcarpettheearthwithpinkandwhite.Thecentersoftheblossomsswellandgrowandcolor:cherriesandapples,peachesandpears,figswhichclosetheflowerinthefruit.AllCaliforniaquickenswithproduce,andthefruitgrowsheavy,andthelimbsbendgraduallyunderthefruitsothatlittlecrutchesmustbeplacedunderthemtosupporttheweight.

           Behindthefruitfulnessaremenofunderstandingandknowledge,andskill,menwhoexperimentwithseed,endlesslydevelopingthetechniquesforgreatercropsofplantswhoserootswillresistthemillionenemiesoftheearth:themolds,theinsects,therusts,theblights.Thesemenworkcarefullyandendlesslytoperfecttheseed,theroots.Andtherearethemenofchemistrywhospraythetreesagainstpests,whosulphurthegrapes,whocutoutdiseaseandrots,mildewsandsicknesses.Doctorsofpreventivemedicine,menattheborderswholookforfruitflies,forJapanesebeetle,menwhoquarantinethesicktreesandrootthemoutandburnthem,menofknowledge.