NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 



fruit of one of which is called the Indian fig 

 and is much liked. 



One of the Opuntias is hardy even in Alaska 

 and in other similar climates, a characteristic 

 which has had an important bearing on the 

 work. This cactus was called in, also, for the 

 scheme laid out contemplated not only a cactus 

 without thorns and spicules and preeminently 

 a food, but one which should be adapted to the 

 arctics as well as the tropics, one, as Mr. Bur- 

 bank puts it, which will grow anywhere where 

 man can live from the soil. Other varieties 

 were also chosen, one for one characteristic, 

 one for another, but all essential in the build- 

 ing up of the ideal plant. 



Seeds were secured from all the different 

 varieties needed and planted by the thousands 

 in beds specially prepared. The plants were 

 in rows a few inches apart, from two to ten 

 thousand plants to a bed. Extensive crossings 

 were made by pollination as soon as the blos- 

 soms came, this being followed up for several 

 seasons. The object of this crossing, or hybri- 

 dization, was to break up radically, once and 

 forever, the habits fastened upon the plants 

 for perhaps miUions of years. Seeds from 



152 



