i82 LUTHER BURBANK 



cleaned, they are brought here to be weighed, measured, 

 assorted, plainly labelled, listed, and placed on the shelves. 

 In handling seeds the greatest accuracy and most perfect 

 system is required, as any confusion would result in serious 

 trouble. Here, as in all the departments, careful memoranda 

 are made, giving time of planting of each kind, and other 

 points which must be observed. These seeds are for next 

 season's planting for experimental purposes. Any, how- 

 ever, not required are either sold in bulk to the large seed 

 houses or put up in small packages for the retail trade. 



Be careful, as you pass the table, for with a breath you 

 might blow away the value in many dollars of those tiny, 

 feathery seeds; and some are priceless, perhaps the only 

 seeds of a new variety, which cannot be replaced. 



Some choice lilies were once growing near the road at 

 the Gold Ridge farm. One morning the gate was left open 

 for a short time, and a child passing saw the lilies and 

 broke one off, doubtless intending no harm. The children 

 are generally very careful not to injure Burbank's plants, 

 well knowing that he is always glad to fill their arms with 

 flowers when he has time to gather them. Therefore, the 

 little girl did not take the most beautiful lilies, but one 

 stalk having only a few fresh blooms at the top of a long 

 stem, which was becoming ragged with faded flowers and 

 ripening seed pods. It chanced that for this very seed 

 the master had waited years, as it was the combination of 

 two choice lilies which bloomed at different seasons. One 



