LUTHER BURBANK 
plant—a plant which already has shown its 
ability to outdo alfalfa five to one, and which 
promises to support our cattle on what have been 
the waste places of the world; so that our 
ranges may be turned into gardens to produce the 
vegetable sustenance for a multiplying population. 
Let us look at the life story of the cactus as 
it unfolded itself to Luther Burbank when he 
realized the importance of the simple fact that 
desert plants are usually bitter, poisonous, or 
spiny. 
“Here are plants,” thought he, “which have the 
hardiness to live, and to thrive, and to perpetuate 
themselves, under conditions in which other 
plants would die in a day or a month. 
“Here are plants which, although there may 
be not a drop of rain for a year, two years, or even 
ten, still contrive to get enough moisture out of 
the deep soil and out of the air, to build up a 
structure which, by weight, is ninety-two per cent. 
water—plants which contrive to absorb from the 
scorching desert, and to protect from the withering 
sun, enough moisture to make them nearly as 
juicy as watermelons. 
“Here are plants which are veritable wells of 
water, growing in a land where there are no 
springs, or brooks—nor even clouds to encourage 
the hope of a cooling rain; here are plants which 
[8] 
