146 LUTHER BURBANK 



selves, and I am convinced that it would be pos- 

 sible to develop a variety in which the bitter prin- 

 ciple would be greatly reduced in amount and 

 perhaps altogether eliminated, and that at the 

 same time a nut having an even higher starch 

 content could be developed. 



It has been found possible with the South 

 American plant called the cassava to utilize roots 

 that contain a poisonous principle for the pro- 

 duction of so important a commercial product as 

 tapioca. It is not unlikely that the nuts of the 

 horse chestnut, if developed until it had a still 

 higher starch content, could be utilized in some- 

 what the same way, even though the bitter prin- 

 ciple was not entirely eliminated. 



There are some members of the laurel family, 

 also, that produce commercial products that 

 make them worthy of attention. The camphor 

 tree is too tender to be grown in the northern 

 latitudes, but its relative, the sassafras, is a com- 

 mon tree throughout the Eastern States, thriving 

 even in New York and New England. Its bark 

 furnishes the characteristic flavoring that is used 

 for perfuming soaps and for similar purposes. 

 The production of the sassafras would not con- 

 stitute a significant industry under any circum- 

 stances, doubtless, yet there would be a measure 

 of scientific interest in testing its capacities for 



