HARDENLNG AND ADAPl^ATION 



happened to be setting out tiny plants, new 

 types of berries under test. The long rows 

 were clearly outlined in the earth, stretching 

 like tiny green threads across an acre or two 

 of ground. The plants were set out just as 

 they came from the little square boxes in 

 which they had been raised from the seeds, 

 thousands of them being put out, and as Mr. 

 Burbank came to one of the workmen he said : 



"If I only knew which one of all these 

 thousands is the one I want, you wouldn't 

 need to set out any of the rest." 



So in all the work of hardening and adapt- 

 ing, if he only knew precisely which ones to 

 cross to produce the results in the shortest 

 possible time, how great would be the saving I 

 But there are few laws to guide when a new 

 creation in the plant world is to be made, and 

 none which will anticipate the end. Bending 

 over a path one day as we were walking 

 through the grounds, he drew a long line in 

 the earth. Then he drew cross lines at 

 intervals. 



"There is the scheme," he said. "That long 

 line represents the life of the plant through all 

 its past history. This cross line represents ^ 



197 



