LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix 



Fig. Page. 



40. Growlli of individual rows of corn on the breeding blocks 



of Funk Bros. Seed Co., Bloomington, 111. . . 135 



41. Rows from cobs of corn which have been self-fertilized and 



from those which have not been self-fertilized. The small 

 rows are those self-fertilized. On the breeding blocks 

 of Funk Bros. Seed Co., Bloomington, 111. . . 139 



42. Alternate detasseled rows of corn, at a later period of 



growth, on the breeding blocks oif Funk Bros. Seed Co., 

 Bloomington, 111 14 



43. View in the experiment garden of Amsterdam, with cul- 



tures of corn and Evening Primroses .... 143 



44. Twisted stems. A. Of a horsetail {Equisctiim Telmateja). 



B. OitheWiXdiediSe]. {Dipsacus sylveslris) . . . 144 



45. Sterile Corn, a special form of barren stalks without tassel 



and without ear. Originated in the botanical garden at 

 Amsterdam, 1888 . ...... 145 



46. Sweet com. A. With straight rows. B. With oblique 



rows ......... 149 



47. A kernel of corn cut longitudinally. H, E. Horny endo- 



sperm. INI, E. Mealy or starchy endosperm. S Scutel- 

 lum. G, G. Germ. B. The young bud from which the 

 stem will develop. R. Rootlet. After Frank . . 153 



48. One of the breeding blocks of corn, which is being bred for 



high protein on the breeding blocks of Funk Bros. 

 Seed Co., Bloomington, 111. Sept. 1906 . . . 155 



49. Luther Burbank of Santa Rosa, Cal. . . . -158 



50. Burbank's farm at Santa Rosa, Cal., showing the residence, 



the greenhouse, the shed, and part of the Experiment gar- 

 den. Photograph of the S. Pac. R. R. Co. . . . 161 



51. Experimental garden of Luther Burbank at Santa Rosa. 



A spineless cactus is seen along the fence. Cultures of 

 Echeveria and other species in the foreground. Photo- 

 graph of the S. Pac. R. R. Co. ..... 163 



52. Luther Burbank in the garden before his house at Santa 



Rosa, Cal., receiving a visit of the author of these Essays 

 (in the middle) and of Dr. G. H. ShuU, of the Carnegie 

 Institution (to the right) ...... 165 



53. A field of improved Australian Star-flowers on Burbank's 



home farm ........ 169 



54. The improved Everlasting Australian Star-flower . .171 



55. A Hybrid Walnut reaching double the height of ordinary 



trees {Juglans Cal if ornica nigra) . . . -173 



56. Extreme variability in the size of seedlings of hybrid wal- 



nuts in the second generation . . . . -175 



57. A row of hybrid walnuts before the residence of Luther 



Burbank at Santa Rosa. Photograph of the S. Pac. R. 



R. Co 177 



58. Burbank Giant prune . . . . . . 179 



