ON THE QUICK GROWING WALNUT 
hand, could go into the field and create new forms 
of plant life at will. 
And because I ventured to point out that the 
essential principles that now came to be spoken of 
as Mendelian had been the guiding principles of 
my experiments for at least twenty years before 
Mendelism was heard of, I was denounced in some 
quarters as reactionary, the fact being quite over- 
looked that the essential principles involved had 
been discovered by me quite independently; ex- 
ploited by me in connection with many hundreds 
of species; given publication by me prior to the re- 
discovery of Mendel’s forgotten paper; championed 
by me against the opposition of all the leading 
authorities of the world; and that therefore 
the aspect of heredity in question might with full 
propriety have been named “Burbankian” instead 
of “Mendelian”, were it not that Mendel’s discovery 
had priority because it was published so long ago 
as 1863, whereas my independent discovery of the 
principle was not made until almost twenty years 
later. 
Even at that, however, I had had full twenty 
years priority over any one else except Mendel in 
the recognition of the principle. 
Therefore, as I just intimated, I have found it 
a trifle disconcerting to be heralded as reactionary 
and as scouting the essential principles that I 
[199] 
