NEW CREATIONS IN PLANT LIFE 



which has distinct value. Such was the case" 

 when an unknown friend sent him a few seeds 

 from a blackberry, which had no thorns and 

 was said to grow luxuriantly, but which was 

 good for nothing as a fruit. To the average 

 man, to the average plant -breeder or nursery- 

 man, indeed, such a gift, however well meant, 

 would scarcely seem worth more than a note 

 of acknowledgment for the thoughtfulness in 

 sending it. 



But Mr. Burbank's vision is not bounded 

 by the limits of the apparantly impossible. 

 Before he abandons any test he first deter- 

 mines for himself, without any reference to 

 preconceived notions, or so-called laws, or 

 beautiful theories, whether or not the test may 

 be followed up to a successful issue. So, see- 

 ing the possibilities in this instance for making 

 over the fruit, he welcomed the worthless 

 berry seeds and set about testing whether they 

 might not be the forerunners of a race worthy 

 of instalment among the proved fruits of the 

 world. There were but a few seeds in the 

 letter which came, not more than four or five 

 hundred all told, but they promised to be the 

 progenitors of a powerful family. When the 



408 



