204 LUTHER BURBANK 



Of the former I have raised many thousands 

 of plants from seed, and have secured among 

 these half a dozen in which the flavor and aroma 

 are exceptionally pure and strong. In one of 

 these individuals the flavor is so much more spicy 

 than is usual that it may be said to constitute a 

 new type of flavor. The experiments in improv- 

 ing the plant are still under way and the 

 response made by the plant itself is prompt, 

 giving assurance of the production of improved 

 varieties. And scores of other plants of similar 

 nature have given like results, but need not be 

 specifically mentioned here. 



The thyme also has been grown largely from 

 the seed, and have noted with this as with other 

 members of the family a very marked tendency 

 to variation. The most interesting variety that 

 I have developed has been produced by selection 

 from a seedling the leaves of which showed a 

 beautiful white center with very uniform edges 

 of a dark green, instead of the usual yellow and 

 green markings. 



This plant, in addition to its beautiful leaf, 

 was a more compact grower than the old varie- 

 gated thyme. By selecting through successive 

 generations the novel leaf was accentuated and 

 fixed until it would come almost uniformly true 

 from the seed. This new ornamental variety 



