LUTHER BURBANK 



count of inhabitants any more than the potentiali- 

 ties of the seed of a plant are to be predicated 

 from observation of its size. 



Our home at Lancaster was charged with intel- 

 lectual activity during the years of my youth, for 

 it was a rendezvous for ministers, teachers, and 

 lecturers. My father was interested in all of the 

 subjects that were before the public at that time, 

 and we children had great advantages from the 

 associations that he established. 



And that was indeed a notable era in the 

 history of civilization. It was the time in which 

 New England was being transformed by the mi- 

 gration of hosts of its best people to the new fields 

 of the middle and far west. In the year of my 

 birth, as it chanced, gold was discovered in Cali- 

 fornia, and the excitement in the region of Boston 

 I am told was greater than had probably been 

 known since the occasion of the memorable "tea 

 party." 



Many of the more venturesome prepared to 

 cross the plains, led by the golden lure. And those 

 that remained were full of eager expectancy as 

 they waited for news from the new Eldorado. 



The reminiscences of this excitement were still 

 in the air in my early boyhood. But before I came 

 to adolescence there were other burning questions 

 that took precedence even over the gold fever. 



[22] 



