190 LUTHER BURBANK 



tion of a crop of stinging hairs as with the nettle ; 

 or the secretion of oils or other chemicals that 

 have offensive odors, or bitter, acrid, or peppery 

 taste. 



In the present chapter we are concerned 

 mostly with a conglomerate group of plants, 

 several of which belong to the lily family, that 

 have resorted to the last-named expedient in the 

 attempt to protect themselves against the unwel- 

 come attention of herbivorous beasts. The onion 

 and its allies, the mints, mustard, peppers, and 

 the others of this company are for the most part 

 lowly herbs or succulent bushes that have quali- 

 ties of flesh that make them attractive. In self- 

 defense they have developed added qualities, 

 chiefly through the manufacture of essential oils, 

 or odors or flavors that are the opposite of 

 appealing. 



But as in a good many other instances, these 

 plants by their very zeal to some extent defeat 

 their own purposes. The unique quality of the 

 flavors they develop, even though at first repel- 

 lent to the palate, serve as a stimulus to the re- 

 ceptive mind of man, and urge him to develop a 

 taste for the very things which at first seemed 

 repellent. 



So it has happened that plants that seem by 

 the very nature of their product to be denied 



