LUTHER BURBANK 
protection of the savages as grateful as though it 
had been inspired by altruism. 
Planted in patches, instead of straggling here 
and there as best it could before, the teosinte 
grass found its reproduction problem made easier 
through the multitude of pollen grains now float- 
ing through the air. 
And so, by slow degrees, it responded to its 
new environment by bearing more and bigger 
seed. 
As the seed kernels increased in numbers and 
in size, the cob that bore them grew in length. 
From two, the rows of kernels increased to 
four, to six, to eight, to fourteen. 
Here again the selfish motives of the savages 
served to help the plant in its adaptation—for only 
the largest ears and those with the best kernels 
were saved for seed. 
So, under cultivation, the wild grass almost 
disappeared, and in its place there came, through 
adaptation, the transformed Indian corn. 
“There were two wealthy men in England,” 
said Mr. Burbank, “who took up the daffodil and 
the narcissus, growing endless quantities of seed- 
lings just for amusement. 
“Both of these men, so it happened, were 
bankers. One was a rather large, coarse, strong, 
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