LUTHER BURBANK 



Attention was paid not merely to the brush 

 itself, but also to the stalks of the plant. There is 

 obvious advantage in growing a large, long brush 

 on a dwarfed stalk, that as little plant energy as 

 possible may be used for the production of the 

 stalk, the chief supply being reserved for the more 

 important brush. It was found very difficult, but 

 not impossible, to improve the plant along both 

 lines simultaneously, as it seemed to be working 

 in opposite directions. 



I was also able to develop a brush that had 

 improved qualities of firmness and durability, 

 combined with pliable texture. 



The syrup-producing sorghums are chiefly of 

 two very closely related types, which are usually 

 spoken of as Amber and Orange sugar-canes. 



Individual plants vary a good deal as to their 

 sugar content and other characteristics. My ex- 

 periments with the syrup-producers have shown 

 that there is a great diversity in the individual 

 plants as to the amount of saccharine substances 

 in their tissues; and that it is possible by careful 

 and systematic selection through successive gen- 

 erations to increase the sugar content, as has been 

 done with the sugar-beet, and is being done with 

 the sugar-cane. 



My work, however, has not extended beyond 

 the experimental stages. 



[150] 



