LUTHER BURBANK 



ances of the flower and of the combinations of 

 them — all of the colors, scents if there be any, 

 shapes, sizes, forms, elements of strength or weak- 

 ness — uncovered before us. 



And between the white and the orange we have 

 but to select the particular pink flower of our 

 fancy. 



If the flower we select, perchance, showed some 

 weakness, or if its tint were a little too light or 

 too dark, or if for any other reason among this 

 infinite color variation we did not find the exact 

 result we sought, another season or another would 

 surely bring it forth; for next year, instead of 

 planting white and orange, we should plant a 

 selection of our new daisies, and instead of getting 

 a combination of two parentages, w^e should get a 

 combination of combinations. 



Then, having secured the color called for in 

 our original mental blue print, we might find 

 structural improvements to make in the flow^er — 

 we might want to increase its height or to 

 lengthen the daily period of its opening, or to 

 rearrange its petals into a more chrysanthemum- 

 like form, or to increase or decrease the size 

 of its center — or to accomplish any one of a 

 number of other ideals wliich we may have set up 

 for our production. 



So on we go, season after season, always 



[154] 



