248 LUTHER BURBANK 



"I improve all my time in walking in every 

 direction, but have seen no place which nature 

 has not made perfectly lovely. 



"I took a long walk to-day and found enough 

 curious plants in a wild spot of about an acre to 

 set a botanist wild. 



*'I found the wild yam which I hunted for so 

 much in New England, also the yerba buena, a 

 vine which has a pleasant taste like peppermint. 

 (I send you a few leaves.) I also found a nut 

 that no one seems to have seen before (have 

 planted it), and several (to me) curious plants. 

 I mean to get a piece of land (hire or buy) and 

 plant it, then I can do other work just the same." 



The intention to hire or buy a piece of land 

 was not realized for a long term of months after 

 it was thus confidently expressed. But the time 

 came, after weary waiting, when it was found 

 possible to hire a few acres. Then, although 

 working at carpentry during the day, I was able 

 to devote the long summer evenings to prepara- 

 tion for starting a small nursery. 



I had come to California in October, 1875, 

 and it was not until the autumn of the following 

 year that the start in the line of work that had 

 been planned was thus tentatively made. And 

 even then my time of trial was by no means 

 over. For, as has been said, no capital was 



