202 LUTHER BURBANK 



lionth generation ahead of us could see the re- 

 sults of our work. 



In our search for heredities we shall find many 

 plants which are scarcely worth working with 

 [plants whose environments have not led into 

 heredities which are desirable for our ends. 



But at the same time we shall find thousands 

 of plants in the least expected places which, at 

 first, seem impossible of use which with a little 

 encouragement yield us rare heredities for our 

 work. 



When the masons, carpenters, and decorators 

 have finished the architect's house, and the keys 

 are turned over to the new owner then, and 

 from that moment, the structure begins to de- 

 preciate until it crumbles in decay. The furni- 

 ture movers dent the stair rails, the children 

 scratch the doors, dust begins to darken and de- 

 stroy the luster of polished surfaces; and the 

 sun and night, and the frosts and the thaws, rain 

 and the heat, slowly and irresistibly carry the 

 structure on its downward grade. 



But when the architect of plants has com- 

 bined old traits into the production of his ideal, 

 he has fashioned something which, if his work is 

 well done, the suns, and rains, and frosts, and 

 winds will not depreciate; he has produced a liv- 

 ing thing which, in spite of discouragements, and 



