LUTHER BURBANK 



that it is told gives evidence that some of the fun- 

 damental principles of improvement of plants by 

 selection are widely recognized in the land of the 

 Mikado. 



But this, indeed, is a proposition that scarcely 

 needs demonstrating, considering the curious vari- 

 ety of flowers and fruits that have been developed 

 there. That the revered name of the Mikado 

 should be associated in popular legend with the 

 perfecting of the rice, is to be interpreted, I sup- 

 pose, as an evidence of the importance of this 

 grain to the people of Japan, rather than in any 

 literal sense. 



Rice is to the Oriental people what wheat is to 

 the people of the western world, and it is natural 

 that folk-lore should associate the perfecting of 

 this most important of foodstuffs with the most 

 sacred office of the ruler who is regarded as the 

 Father of his people. 



Rice and Its Impbovement 



Mention of the perfecting of special varieties 

 of rice implies the existence of different varieties 

 of this grain. 



In point of fact, rice is a variable plant, and 

 one that is therefore susceptible of great improve- 

 ment. There are many varieties of rice grown in 

 the Orient. There is, for example, a variety that 

 has a very pleasant aroma when cooked. There 



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