LUTHER BURBANK 



Washington that more than seventeen million dol- 

 lars' worth of Burbank potatoes had been raised 

 in the United States since the variety was intro- 

 duced. The producer himself received only one 

 hundred and fifty dollars for his prize. The 

 money sufficed, however, to pay his fare across 

 the continent, and enabled him to carry out his 

 ambition to migrate to a climate better suited to 

 the purposes of the plant developer, for he had 

 long since determined to give his life to this work. 



THE MIGEATION TO CALIFOKNIA 



Arriving in California, Mr. Burbank selected 

 Santa Rosa as his residence, and this has con- 

 tinued to be the seat of his activities to this day. 



The migration was made in the year 1875. At 

 that time the potentialities of California as a 

 fruit-growing state were not very fully realized, 

 and it was by no means easy for a young man 

 without capital to establish himself in the prac- 

 tical business of a nurseryman, which was Luther 

 Burbank 's immediate ambition. Before he could 

 carry out this ambition, it was necessary to serve 

 an apprenticeship of two or three years, during 

 which he turned his hand to any work which pre- 

 sented itself. He developed skill as a carpenter, 

 and he continued to earn a living at that trade for 

 some time after he had established a nursery by 

 way of avocation. 



Those were trying years; but Yankee thrift, 

 energy, and perseverance finally prevailed over 



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