LUTHER BURBANK 



"In nature," said Mr. Burbank, "there are no 

 accidents, no lapses. Everything that is, is a 

 definite part of the Scheme of Things. 



"We see crossing between kinds and realize 

 its purpose, and see its value in the Scheme, 

 because it is going on about us always, everywhere 

 — because it is a quick-moving process which we 

 can observe without doubt or difficulty. 



"But when, on the other hand, we see the 

 provisions in nature against crossing out of kind, 

 those numberless ingenious devices designed to 

 prevent the production of hybrids, we have no 

 right to conclude that hybrids are not a part of 

 the Scheme of Things. 



"They are — else there would be no hybrids. 



"Crossing between things of the same kind is 

 a continuous, active process necessarj' to the 

 production of better and better individuals. 



"Crossing out of kind is a slower process which, 

 I believe, has just as definite an end as crossing 

 within kinds — excepting that its object, slowly and 

 surely attained, is the production not of better 

 individuals, but of better kinds." 

 ***** 



Let us go back to our African daisies. 



If we read their history aright, there was, 

 first, an orange flower which grew in the open 

 veldt — a flower which accommodated itself to the 



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