LUTHER BURBANK 



plant developer himself. Mr. Burbank never 

 allows a new plant creation of any kind to be in- 

 troduced unless lie is thoroughly convinced that 

 it is equal in all respects to any similar variety 

 already on the market, and superior in at least 

 one respect. Until the new variety can meet this 

 test, it is still in the experimental stage, and only 

 a few of the most promising specimens are pre- 

 served, the others being ruthlessly sent to the 

 bonfire. 



To the observer who sees hundreds of thousands 

 of the plants bearing really beautiful flowers thus 

 destroyed each year at Santa Rosa and Sebas- 

 topol the method seems ruthless; but it is an 

 inevitable concomitant of the comprehensive plan 

 through which so many wonderful varieties of 

 flowers, vegetables, and fruits have been devel- 

 oped in Mr. Burbank ? s experiment gardens. 



Among the most interesting of the plant colonies 

 that have been produced in countless galaxies to 

 supply Mr. Burbank with material for selection 

 are such familiar flowers as the lilies and poppies. 



HALF A MILLION NEW LILIES 



Mr. Burbank 's experiments with lilies were car- 

 ried out on a most comprehensive scale for many 

 years. He hybridized all the exotic species and 

 varieties that seemed to promise favorable results, 

 until he had the most extraordinary collection of 

 lilies, doubtless, that ever existed anywhere in the 

 world, "here a plant six feet high with yellow 



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