460 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [DECEMBER 
and marvel at his dauntless and unselfish devotion thereto; they realize that he 
has operated on a grand scale, producing, by his acute judgment and his keen 
insight, even more than by skilful and ingenious manipulation, remarkable and 
valuable results. He is a great man—doubtless the greatest—in his chosen 
field; granting that he is now worthy a biography, he is most unfortunate in his 
biographer.? 
To describe the personality of a great man one must not only be enamored of 
the man, but be able to sketch him in attitudes of mind and soul that carry con- 
viction of greatness. To exhibit the work of a great man, one must not only be 
conversant with the details of the work, but be able to make manifest its nature 
and its bearings, its problems, and its triumphs. 
Mr. Harwoop is convinced that LuTHER BURBANK is a superlatively great 
man; but he cannot compel his readers to believe this by mere reiterated asser- 
tion. He is sure that the work is marvelous and of surpassing value; but as he 
obviously knows nothing of horticulture and less of botany, he is incompetent to 
explain it. He insists ad nauseam that Mr. BuRBANK is a scientific luminary of 
the first magnitude; but our author has no inkling of the meaning of scientific 
training, nor does he know the criteria of a man of science; he does not even 
perceive that his liberal (and presumably literal) quotations convict his hero of 
some lack of the scientific spirit, which is even more important than the errors 
they embody. 
Given reasonably clear English and a logical presentation, the actual infor- 
mation in this book could be condensed into a magazine article. It is surprising 
that a house like the Macmillan Co. should lend its imprint to a volume with the 
style and English of a sensational newspaper, not to mention consistent misspell- 
ing which cannot be laid at the door of the compositor. 
As to the work of BuRBANK little need be said. Its economic value is unques- 
tionable, even though many of the most wonderful things are not yet quite per- 
fected. And no one will doubt the devotion and few will question the altruism 
of this man, who like Acassiz, has been too busy to make money, except for 
further prosecution of his work. But withal it must be recognized that he is no 
“wizard of horticulture;” he has no secrets but skill and insight derived from 
long experience; he has devised no unusual methods and developed no essen- 
tially new ideas in plant breeding. N aturally when he claims to have disproved 
this scientific theory or that, one hears his opinion and, without doubting his 
sincerity, remains incredulous until the proof is adduced. » If that can be done 
none sooner than scientific men will recognize and acclaim it. But incredulity is 
only aggravated by assertion without evidence, and distrust can only be intensified 
by such absolute misconception of so clear a theory as that of DeVrres.—C. R. B. 
os Harwoon, W. S., New creations in plant life. An authoritative account of the 
life and work of Luther Burbank. r2mo. pp. xiv+ 368. New York: The Macmillan 
Co. 1905. $1.75. me 
Sabena a Ll NR eee 
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