LUTHER BURBANK 



you must be content to go forward by very slow 

 stages, taking but the shortest step ahead with 

 each generation for the first two or three years. 



But even where progress is as slow as this in 

 the beginning, the time will almost surely come 

 when the effect of what I have several times 

 referred to as the momentum of variation begins 

 to be felt. Some season, to your surprise and 

 delight, you will discover that the plants are vary- 

 ing much more widely than they have done 

 hitherto. 



Instead of having to scrutinize your seedlings 

 with the utmost care to determine which ones are 

 largest and most vigorous; and then in turn scru- 

 tinize with equal care the blossoms when they 

 appear to determine which are largest and most 

 brilliant, you will find that some few seedlings 

 will jump ahead of the others as if they belonged 

 to another race, bringing to your mind the famil- 

 iar tale of Jack's Beanstalk, or the less familiar 

 story of Darwin's Hero morning-glory, which ap- 

 peared suddenly after several generations of 

 selection. 



When the seedlings which thus practically 

 select themselves have come to blooming time, 

 your delight will be enhanced as you discover 

 that the blossoms they bear are markedly larger 

 and more brilliant than any you have seen before. 



[16] 



