LUTHER BURBANK 



ously blend with the traits of the American race 

 for the betterment of posterity? 



It has been suggested, for example, that the 

 Mediterranean races have the inherent love of 

 music and the arts ingrained in their racial stock, 

 and that this artistic sense may remain as a per- 

 manent endowment of their descendants in Amer- 

 ica when their less desirable physical and moral 

 characteristics have been bred out of their progeny 

 by mingling with the better strains of the Ameri- 

 can race, somewhat as the undesirable qualities 

 of the little stoneless plum were bred out of their 

 progeny in Mr. Burbank's gardens, while the one 

 desired quality of stonelessness was retained. 



Obviously this possibility must modify some- 

 what our verdict as to the possible outcome of the 

 great mingling of races that is taking place in 

 America to-day. 



BREEDING FEOM THE UNFIT 



Let it be recalled, however, that the prepon- 

 derant influence must be good if good results are 

 to be attained. We cannot hope to assimilate too 

 large an increment of foreign blood. More than 

 fourteen hundred thousand immigrants came to 

 the United States in 1914. Of those that came 

 from southeastern Europe more than thirty-five 

 per cent were illiterate. It is a serious question 

 whether the American stock can amalgamate so 

 high a percentage of foreign elements without 

 deterioration. 



[250] 



