Scientific Aspects of I^uther Burbank' s Work 



of us have tried. What then is it that Burbank 

 brings to his work of modifying organisms swiftly 

 and extremely and definitely that others do not ? 



To answer this it will be advisable to analyze, 

 in general terms, at least, the various processes 

 which either singly, or in combinations of two or 

 three, or all together, are used by Mr. Burbank 

 in his work. We may roughly classify these 

 processes and means. First, there is the importa- 

 tion from foreign countries, through many cor- 

 respondents, of a host of various kinds of plants, 

 some of economic value in their native land and 

 some not, any of which grown under different 

 conditions here may prove specially vigorous or 

 prolific or hardy, or show other desirable changes 

 or new qualities. Among these importations are 

 often special kinds particularly sought for by 

 Burbank to use in his multiple hybridizations; 

 kinds closely related to our native or to already 

 cultivated races which, despite many worthless 

 characteristics, may possess one or more particular, 

 valuable ones needed to be added to a race already 



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