LUTHER BURBANK 



plant — a plant which already has shown its 

 ability to outdo alfalfa five to one, and which 

 promises to support our cattle on what have been 

 the waste places of the world; so that our 

 ranges may be turned into gardens to produce the 

 vegetable sustenance for a multiplying population. 



Let us look at the life story of the cactus as 

 it unfolded itself to Luther Burbank when he 

 realized the importance of the simple fact that 

 desert plants are usually bitter, poisonous, or 

 spiny. 



"Here are plants," thought he, "which have the 

 hardiness to live, and to thrive, and to perpetuate 

 themselves, under conditions in which other 

 plants would die in a day or a month. 



"Here are plants which, although there may 

 be not a drop of rain for a year, two years, or even 

 ten, still contrive to get enough moisture out of 

 the deep soil and out of the air, to build up a 

 structure which, by weight, is ninety-two per cent, 

 water — plants which contrive to absorb from the 

 scorching desert, and to protect from the withering 

 sun, enough moisture to make them nearly as 

 juicy as watermelons. 



"Here are plants which are veritable wells of 

 water, growing in a land where there are no 

 springs, or brooks — nor even clouds to encourage 

 the hope of a cooling rain; here are plants which 



[8] 



