THE SHASTA DAISY 307 



known to the whole world as the Shasta Daisy 

 was produced. 



Moreover I had a flower that excelled my 

 utmost expectations as to size, grace and abun- 

 dant blooming qualities ; a blossom from four to 

 seven inches in diameter, with a greatly increased 

 number of ray flowers of crystal whiteness, and 

 with flower stem tall and devoid of unsightly 

 leaves ; a plant at once graceful enough to please 

 the eye and hardy enough to thrive in any soil; 

 a plant moreover of such thrifty growth that it 

 reached its blooming time in its first season from 

 seed, although none of its ancestors bloomed 

 until the second season; and of such quality of 

 prolificness that it continues to bloom almost 

 throughout the year in California, and for a long 

 season even in colder climates. 



CONFLICTING TENDENCIES 



The Shasta Daisy, sprung thus magically 

 yet not without years of coaxing from this 

 curiously mixed ancestry, exceeded my utmost 

 expectations in its combination of desirable 

 qualities. I can hardly say, however, that the 

 result achieved was a surprise; for my experi- 

 ence with hundreds of other species had led me to 

 anticipate, at least in a general way, the trans- 

 formations that might be effected through such 



