260 GARDENING WITH BRAINS 'g 



Professor Agassiz said of him, "That man 

 Shohn Fiske is one big shackass." I myself 

 wrote many articles in those days in defense of 

 Darwinism, the main truths of which are now 

 acknowledged by all scientific authorities. 



In the Preface just alluded to, President 

 Jordan cites an interesting paragraph from a 

 speech made in San Francisco by the great 

 Dutch botanist of the University of Amster- 

 dam, Dr. Hugo de Vries, regarding Burbank: 

 "A unique, great genius! To see him was the 

 prime reason of my coming to America. He 

 works to definite ends. He ought to be not only 

 cherished, but helped. Unaided he cannot do 

 his* best. He should be as well known and as 

 widely appreciated in California as among scien- 

 tific men in Europe." 



This was spoken in 1904. California did 

 learn, some years later, to appreciate and honor 

 Burbank. The Legislature of that state in 

 1909 made his birthday, the 7th of March, 

 "Bird and Arbor Day." It is celebrated by the 

 schools throughout the state by tree planting, 

 exercises, songs, tableaux, and folk dances. 

 It would be well if every state had a "Bird and 

 Arbor Day" in honor of Burbank. 



THE TRUTH ABOUT SPINELESS CACTUS 



But some of the professors continue to sneer 

 at him. If you ask them why, they usually 

 answer vaguely or by saying that he "hasn't 



