ARTIFICIAL SELECTIOX 



101 



Others faintly so; some witli upright, otliers with nodding 

 flowers; some with dark groen, woolly leaves in whorls or with 

 polished light green, lanceliko, scattered leaves.' 



Fig. 67. — An extraordinary apple, one-half being bright red and sour, and the other 

 half greenish yellow and sweet; note in photograjih the sharp line of demarkation 

 between the different halves. (From photograph by Burbank.) 



So far no special reference has been made to the more 

 strictly scientific aspects of Burbank's work. Burlxank has 

 been primarily intent on the production of new and improved 

 fruits, flowers, vegetables, and trees for the immediate benefit 

 of mankind. But where biological experimentation is V.-eing 

 carried on so extensively it is obvious that there musL be a 

 large accunmlation of data of much scientific value in its rela- 

 tion to the great problems of heredity, variation, and species- 

 forming. Burbank^s experimental gardens may be looked on, 

 from the point of view of the biologist and evolutionist, as a 

 great laljoratory in which, at present, masses of valualjlc data 

 are, for lack of time and means, being let go unrecorded. 



Of Burbank's own particular scientific beliefs touching the 

 "grand problems" of heredity Ave have space to record but 

 two: fu'st, he is a thorougli believer in tlie inheritance of ac- 

 quired characters, thus differing strongly from the Weismann 

 school of evolutionists; second, he believes in the constant 

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