LUTHER BURBANK 



But in Mr. Burbank's opinion this process of 

 line breeding through which specialized qualities 

 are accentuated is no less important than the 

 earlier process of cross-breeding; and in making 

 application of the method to the human plant we 

 must bear this constantly in mind. 



SELECTION OF PAEENTS 



In the great majority of cases, indeed, nothing 

 of real importance could be accomplished were 

 the experiment carried no further than the first 

 mating or hybridizing of the individuals selected 

 to act as parents. Yet, on the other hand, right 

 selection here is the condition of all future suc- 

 cess. 



Some of Mr. Burbank's most striking results 

 have been attained through the hybridizing of 

 species that were in many respects widely diver- 

 gent. In particular, he brought together species 

 from widely separated geographical territories, 

 and thus gave opportunity for the blending of di- 

 versified racial strains. 



Examples in point are furnished by the vast 

 numbers of experiments with members of the race 

 of plums. Almost at the outset of his experi- 

 mental work Mr. Burbank imported plums from 

 eastern Asia, and began crossing them with vari- 

 ous species of plums from Europe as well as those 

 indigenous to America. Presently he had hybrid 

 races on his experiment farm at Sebastopol that 



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