372 LUTHER BURBANK 



colony of brambles far less desirable on the 

 average than their parent forms. 



America, the Melting Pot of Nations 



Making the application, it becomes at least a 

 very serious question as to whether the recent 

 ; altogether unprecedented influx of immigrants 

 of many widely divergent races are not supply- 

 ing material that, blended with the existing 

 American stock, may produce results as start- 

 ling and on the whole of as doubtful value as 

 those produced among plants when indiscrimi- 

 nately hybridized. 



A certain admixture of new strains of these 

 varied races might not be without its advantages. 

 It has been urged that there are qualities of 

 temperament associated with a love of music 

 and the arts characterizing the Latin races, for 

 example, that might advantageously be mingled 

 with the somewhat cold and practical tem- 

 perament of the American race, to give it 

 a new quality, just as new flavors are bred 

 into the racial strains of plums or pears or 

 peaches. 



There is no gainsaying the possibility that 

 such blending may have its advantages. But 

 there seems danger at the moment that the 

 inatter may be overdone. 



