CHAPTER X 



THE SPIRIT OF CREATIVE GARDENING 



Oh, when I am safe in my sylvan home, 



I tread on the pride of Greece and Rome; 



And when I am stretched beneath the pines, 



Where the evening star so holy shines, 



I laugh at the lore and pride of man, 



At the Sophist schools and the learned clan; 



For what are they all in their high conceit, 



When man in the bush with God may meet? 



Emerson. 



IT is the spirit of Luther Burbank, far more than his 

 actual achievement as a plant-breeder, that is to 

 count in the future life of the land, and especially 

 of the garden home. Authorities disagree as to the 

 importance of his achievement. Prof. Hugo De Vries, 

 of the University of Amsterdam, in Holland, declared 

 that "there is no one in Europe who can even compare 

 with him." On the other hand, there are critical voices 

 in American scientific circles that belittle the importance 

 of his work, and apparently resent his world-wide fame. 

 In the meantime, his influence is extending year by year, 

 and his creations are multiplying, while the freight- 

 t rains from California groan under the load of products 

 his genius gave to the gardener and orchardist in former 



years. 



There are, of course, many forces engaged in making 

 "better and still better fruits, nuts, grains and flowers," 

 as Mr. Burbank insistently urges. Year after year 



116 



