PERSONAL HISTORY 199 



with the choice that was made before leaving 

 New England. 



After preparing to go to California, and just 

 before he left Massachusetts, the "Ralston Fail- 

 ure" occurred, which all old Californians too 

 well remember. Friends advised him to change 

 his mind on account of the reports of the greatly 

 depressed conditions California was then ex- 

 periencing, but having sold his property and 

 made all arrangements for the change he was 

 not to be deterred, and started overland in 

 September. 



The trip to California was made alone, with 

 the money mostly obtained by the sale of the 

 Burbank potato, which had been produced 

 before and had been sold for one hundred and 

 fifty dollars to J. J. H. Gregory, a prominent 

 seedsman of Marblehead, Massachusetts. 



On arrival in California, Luther had little 

 with him, except some clothing, books, and gar- 

 den seeds, and ten Burbank potatoes which Mr. 

 Gregory had allowed him to take in order to get 

 a start. 



Santa Rosa was then a little village without 

 a sidewalk; surrounded by wheat fields; no 

 orchards, no vineyards, but few ornamental trees 

 and very little employment for anyone except 

 that of driving great teams of oxen or mules, in 



