LUTHER BURBANK 



Probably not; but there was a small white 

 berry and a large luscious black one, and I have 

 brought the best qualities of each together in a 

 new combination. 



The Anomaly Explained 



Reviewing briefly the histor>^ just outlined, it 

 appears that the new white blackberry had for 

 grandparents a large and luscious jet black berry 

 known as the Lawton blackberry and a small 

 ill-flavored fruit of a yellowish brown color. The 

 descendant has inherited the size and lusciousness 

 of its black ancestor, and this seems not altogether 

 anomalous. But how shall we account for the fact 

 that it is pure white in color, whereas its alleged 

 white ancestor was not really white at all? 



The attempt to answer that question brings us 

 face to face with some of the most curious facts 

 and theories of heredity. We are bound to 

 account for the white blackberry in accordance 

 with the laws of heredity, yet at first blush its 

 dazzling whiteness seems to bid defiance to these 

 laws, for we can show no recognized white 

 ancestor in explanation. 



A partial solution is found if we assume, as we 

 are probably justified in doing, that the original 

 stock from which the so-called "Crystal White" 

 berrj' sprang was a pure albino. It has already 

 been suggested that such was probably the case. 



[48] 



