150 LUTHER BURBANK 



the sun; we plant their baby seedlings under 

 glass, and give them every favoring condition in 

 which to mature; we remove what for ages have 

 been the chief problems of their hves — ^we take 

 over their two prime burdens, the burdens of 

 self-defense and reproduction. 



The frosts, and the winds, and the hailstorms, 

 and the droughts, and the animals are no longer 

 the chief enemies of plants; for man, when he 

 comes into their environment, is more dreadful 

 than all of these combined — if he chooses to 

 destroy. 



And the bees and the birds and the butterflies, 

 and the w^armth of the sun, and the moisture in 

 the soil, fade into insignificance as friendly in- 

 fluences when compared with that of man — ^if it 

 pleases him to be a friend. 



So the cherry tree and dianthus still advertise 

 to the bees and birds, as of old. 

 y'^ But their main advertisement, now, is an ad- 

 vertisement to us; their strongest effort, now 

 that we have become predominant in their hves, 

 is to lure with their blossoms and their fruit — ^to 

 enchant us with their odors, and colors, and lus- 

 ciousness, as they formerly enchanted only the 

 bees — to win and hold our appreciation and 

 afl'ection, and merit our kindly attention and 

 care. /'^ 



