82 



LUTHER BURBANK 



flowers as to be entirely hidden from view. In cool, pleas- 

 ant weather the first blossoms on the stem remained to say 



"Good-morning" to the 

 last flower that bloomed. 

 There were blossoms of 

 distinct colors and blos- 

 soms of many hues and 

 shades with brilliant 

 markings. 



For ten years gladi- 

 oli remained in the 

 school, and during that 



time nearly a million 



J^fl 

 MM! young plants were 



grown from seeds. But 

 plants have enemies as 

 well as people, and these 

 enemies visited the plant 



school as elsewhere. 

 Gladioli. 



Gophers became so nu- 

 merous and destroyed so many bulbs that the master de- 

 cided to graduate the entire gladiolus class. 



He was very sorry to part with his pupils, but the sacri- 

 fice was necessary that the enemy be overcome. He gave 

 his most beautiful graduates distinct names. One was 

 almost double and wore a gown of deep pink, shading to 

 white. This he named California. Another, white shaded 



