178 LUTHER BURBANK 



day of March, 1849, was born the thirteenth child 

 — Luther Burbank. 



The year 1849 was, in New England, an 

 active, busy year, as gold had just been discov- 

 ered in California, creating such an excitement 

 as — with the single exception of that occasioned 

 by the memorable Boston Tea Party in 1774, and 

 the consequent events — probably had not been 

 equaled in American history. During this and 

 the two following years many were preparing to 

 cross the plains in quest of gold. 



Such was the environment into which Luther 

 Burbank was born. His welcome Was perhaps 

 made more tender by the fact that the little 

 brother and sister who had just preceded him 

 had been early excused from the school of life 

 and called away from its stern discipline. When 

 this frail sensitive child entered the home, older 

 brothers and sisters, as well as parents, rejoiced 

 at his coming. 



A quiet, serious child, my brother's most 

 noticeable trait was a love — almost a reverence 

 — for flowers. A blossom placed in the baby 

 hands would always stay faUing tears. Flowers 

 were never destroyed by him, but if, perchance, 

 one fell to pieces, his efforts were always at- 

 tempts to reconstruct it. Flowers were his first 

 toys and, when he was old enough to toddle 



