LUTHER BURBANK 



pollenizing through stages that involved the 

 handling of seed and the constant handling of seed- 

 lings, I was obliged to associate intimately with 

 the cactus plants, and it was impossible to avoid 

 their spicules. Particularly after the work had 

 advanced to a stage where the larger spines had 

 been removed and the remaining spicules were in 

 little bundles on the older leaves, did it become 

 impossible to handle them without filling one's 

 fingers with the irritating prickles. 



For five years or more the cactus blooming 

 season was a period of torment to me both day and 

 night. Time and again I have declared from the 

 bottom of my heart that I wished I had never 

 touched the cactus to attempt to remove its spines. 

 Looking back on the experience now, I feel that I 

 would not have courage to renew the experiments 

 were it necessary to go through the same ordeal 

 again. 



Not only would the little spicules find lodgment 

 everywhere in my skin, but my clothing became 

 filled with them, and the little barbs would gradu- 

 ally work their way through the cloth and into my 

 flesh, causing intense irritation. 



At first I devoted much time to the endeavor to 

 remove the very inconspicuous but exceedingly 

 irritating and pain-producing little spicules with 

 the aid of a magnifying glass and forceps. But I 



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