LUTHER BURBANK 



to the shade. These violets reproduce themselves 

 wholly by the self-fertilization which goes on 

 within the colorless flower below. 



And there are those violets, of tliis same kind, 

 blooming in the sunlight, which open their upper 

 flowers, so that, if visited by insects, the seed 

 within matures; but, as if in doubt of the effective- 

 ness of their advertisement, the lower blossoms 

 continue to produce their inbred seed. 



And there are still other violets which, as if 

 assured of the friendship of the insects, have 

 ceased to make the colorless blossoms below, and 

 produce their entire output of seed at the base of 

 the brilliant upper flower. 



Here, in these three kinds of violets, is written 

 the story of a plant's struggle with wild environ- 

 ment in which man has not yet become a factor; 

 the story of an unequal struggle in which the 

 stages of failure, partial victor}^ and complete 

 triumph are clearly laid before us. 

 ***** 



Into the life of the violet, some few hundred 

 }'^ears ago, there came the new element of environ- 

 ment — man. 



A single violet plant which was taken from its 

 catch-as-catch-can existence, let us say, fouftd 

 itself in fine-combed soil in the shade of some 

 one's dooryard. 



[114] 



