LUTHER BURBANK 



eliminated if the thistle is to be transformed into 

 a garden vegetable. The thistles are not a whit 

 more thoroughly cursed with thorns than the arti- 

 choke was when first brought under cultivation; 

 and not more so than some of the recessive arti- 

 choke seedlings are at the present day, even when 

 grown from the most carefully selected stock. 



I have grown the thistle extensively from seed, 

 and although I have worked more especially for 

 variations in color of the flower, yet I have paid 

 attention also to the quality of leaf, and I am 

 quite convinced that it would not be difficult to 

 produce a spineless variety. 



Indeed my experiments have advanced far 

 in that direction, 



I am convinced also that the leaf and stock of 

 the plant may readily be developed so as to make 

 a palatable vegetable, comparable in its uses to 

 spinach. 



It is known that some of the thistles are 

 palatable when cooked, tasting not unlike the 

 dandelion. There is a thistle raised in South 

 America that is quite extensively used as food, 

 and there is a California thistle with a variegated 

 leaf that is sometimes eaten. These two are 

 certainly as good as greens. Without a doubt 

 their palatability could be increased by selective 

 breeding, and this, with the removal of the thorns, 



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