THE AMARYLLIS AND THE POPPY 



be stated that no hundred plant-breeders who 

 have preceded him have ever done so much to 

 ennoble floral life. And the future holds pos- 

 sibilities to be still more clearly indicated 

 when his new creations, many of which are but 

 just coming into general use, shall be uni- 

 versal. Years have been necessary in his tests 

 to bring the flowers up to their high estate, 

 and years more will elapse before all the tests 

 under way will be completed, but enough has 

 already been done to alter the whole floral life 

 of the world. Those who were fortunate 

 enough to see the magnificent display of 

 cannas at the Pan-American Exposition in the 

 city of Buffalo, — the "Tarrytown" canna, one 

 of Mr. Burbank's creations, — could form 

 some idea of the grander possibilities of his 

 new flowers; and at the exposition in St. 

 Louis the first prize for bedding roses, a rose 

 which has limitless possibilities for exterior 

 decoration, was a rose created by Mr. Bur- 

 bank. But the more magnificent creations are 

 not more wonderful, or more important, than 

 those which have their culmination in his 

 glorification of the tiniest blossoms, be they 

 those shy wild ones which open their eyes in 



85 



