266 LUTHER BURBANK 



desirable qualities of flower and bulb, destroying 

 the inferior ones. 



From the outset careful attention was paid 

 both to the flowers and to the bulbs, as it was de- 

 sired to produce plants that would be ornaments 

 in the flower garden and at the same time 

 would grow enormous bulbs that would make 

 them valuable acquisitions to the vegetable 

 garden. 



Having secured the best representatives of 

 each species and variety by selection, an exten- 

 sive series of hybridizing experiments were 

 commenced. 



It is a relatively simple matter to hybridize the 

 different camassias and all the species seemed to 

 combine quite readily. 



The characteristics shown by the hybrids are 

 those that experience with other plants led one 

 to expect. In the first generation, there is rel- 

 ative fixity, and the greater or less dominance of 

 one parent or the other. In the second genera- 

 tion, the hybrids break up into numerous forms, 

 varying widely as to color of leaves and flowers, 

 height of stalk, and size of flowers, as well as in 

 form and size and quality of bulbs. 



Some of these hybrids of the second generation 

 produced bulbs smaller than those of their 

 progenitors. 



