LUTHER BURBANK 



on the stem of a potato vine among numerous 

 other vines in an ordinary garden. 



Of course the observant eye was there to note 

 the anomaly of a potato producing a ball of seeds 

 in defiance of the usual Early Rose potato tradi- 

 tions. Also there was the receptive and inquiring 

 mind of youth, to challenge the product and raise 

 the question of what would result if these seeds 

 were planted. These qualities, or something akin 

 to them, must always be present where new phe- 

 nomena are under observation, else no discovery 

 would be made however lavishly the materials for 

 discovery are laid before us. 



In many of my later discoveries, I myself 

 brought the materials together and had a share in 

 combining them and in directing and guiding the 

 processes of nature through which new plants 

 were developed. In the case of the potato, as 

 just stated, all this work was done quite without 

 my co-operation. 



When I came upon the seedball it was far 

 advanced toward perfection, and my task consisted 

 merely of watching it and making sure that the 

 seeds were gathered and preserved, and in due 

 course planted. 



A SEEDBALL LOST AND FOUND 



That the story should not altogether lack 

 picturesqueness, I must record that my incipient 



[270] 



