LUTHER BURBANK 



It is only when the life history of a plant, with 

 all of its divergent tendencies, is uncovered in 

 some such Avay as this, that the plant architect can 

 sec the full possibilities of further improvement. 



***** 



The pink daisy which Mr. Burbank grew 

 especiallj' for the purpose of illustrating this 

 chapter may, or may not, be a desirable produc- 

 tion — it may or may not repay the thought and 

 effort which it cost — but it shows the simplest 

 method which the plant architect has within his 

 reach — a method v.'hich, applied in the same way 

 toward the accomplishment of a more utilitarian 

 purpose, has meant and will, more and more, 

 continue to mean, untold fortunes of added wealth 



to the world. 



***** 



In order that the illustration may be complete, 

 let us sketch some of the possibilities of employing 

 this method. 



Let us begin with some garden vegetable which 

 for centuries has been picking up traits along the 

 lines in which we have encouraged it — working 

 away, always, from the wild, and toward the 

 accomplishment of our ideals. 



Let us say that we have been selecting it, 

 unconsciously perhaps, for its tenderness, or 

 sweetness, or early ripening, or productivity, or 



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