54 LUTHER BURBANK 



it closely, and carefully save the seeds when they ripen. 

 These seeds will be a combination of the two varieties 

 crossed. Plants from them will, no doubt, vary greatly, 

 giving an opportunity for selection of the best from the 

 seedlings. 



y This process of selection of the best plants should be 

 carried on faithfully for several years in order to fix any 

 quality in either fruit or flowers. Some of the seedlings 

 may be better than either parent, or they may be valueless. 

 One of the main objects of crossing is to produce this varia- 

 tion, from which selections may be made. 



The work of plant improvement is beyond comparison 

 with any other chosen occupation, owing to the delight it 

 gives one and the happiness it adds to the human race. 



CHAPTER XII 

 THE SHASTA DAISY 



The little wild field daisy, that grew around Luther 

 Burbank's childhood home, was considered by the farmers 

 an evil thing, a harmful weed. Burbank's loving heart 

 seemed to go out to this little forsaken thing, which, to 

 most persons, was an intruder, not deserving even a place 

 to live. He singled it out from the attractive flowers, 

 that appealed to every one the violet, the aster, the 

 pansy, the trailing arbutus, the lily, the rose not for lack 

 of love for these, but they had friends a-plenty, the daisy 



