282 LUTHER BURBANK 



its new surroundings. The roots increase greatly 

 in size and succulence. 



The seeds and roots of this plant have often 

 been collected, and I have from time to time had 

 seeds sent me from many localities during the 

 past fifteen years. The best seeds came from 

 Idaho. Plants grown from seed sent from 

 Idaho developed to four feet in height, produc- 

 ing roots three to four times as large as most 

 of the California Carums, and seeding quite as 

 abundantly. 



By selecting individual roots the species 

 known as Carum Gairdneri improved quite 

 rapidly, and when the blossoms are removed, so 

 that no plant energy is required for the produc- 

 tion of seeds, the roots are much larger. This is 

 an interesting compensatory effect that illus- 

 trates the close correlation between the different 

 parts of a plant, and in particular the reliance 

 of the roots on the leaf system. 



There are, as already stated, several specie^ 

 and numerous varieties of the plant that could 

 be used for hybridizing purposes, and the tend- 

 ency to variation could thus be accentuated. 



A very large number of plants can be growfc 

 on a small piece of ground, and if the roots could 

 be developed even to one fourth the size of those 

 of the carrot, this would prove a very valuable 



