XIV 



MAKING NEW PLANTS 175 



successful in improving them during long genera- 

 tions, we are apt to think that the work is 

 practically done, that we need only enjoy what our 

 fathers have done for us. But it is not so. Our 



FIG. 40. Gathering Wild Prickly Pear Fruit in Mexico, where the 

 plant is native. 



inheritance is like the magic gold in the fairy tales. 

 If we do not use it aright it will turn into a mere 

 handful of withered leaves, and leave us poorer 

 than we were before we got it. 



We know that Cinderella's beautiful coach was 



