PATIENCE REWARDED 283 



them is essential to the comprehension of the 

 work that was being carried forward. 



The very essence of the new method was to 

 bring together, through hybridization, plant 

 strains that had been long separated, making 

 possible the recombination of hereditary factors 

 in such a way as to bring out, combine, and inten- 

 sify racial traits. 



Obviously such an attempt requires the coop- 

 eration of collectors living in widely separated 

 regions. Explorers, missionaries, teachers, 

 travelers, botanists, sailors, and others by thou- 

 sands have placed at my disposal seeds, bulbs, 

 and plants from the whole world with never a 

 thought of personal reward. The native Indians 

 of many parts of North America, but more espe- 

 cially South America, have been pressed into this 

 service, as they of all others know where the besi 

 wild plants and flowers are to be found and thus 

 have the opportunity to gather theii* seeds. 

 Through the teachings of explorers, missionaries, 

 and travelers, they have, in many cases, been 

 trained to become unusually good collectors. 



I wish here to pay especial tribute to the faith- 

 ful service that has been rendered both by pro- 

 fessional collectors and by amateurs who knew 

 me by reputation only and who had no thought 

 of reward beyond the satisfaction of aiding 



