"Whatever success I have been permitted to achieve as the result of 

 iny labors, are gains to the world and to civilization ; they are new crea- 

 tions, evolved from nothing; their original parents being simply weeds, 

 in the eyes of the refined admirer of beautiful flowers. And like the 

 product of the miner's toil, they are drafts upon the great treasure 

 house of Nature, wronging and robbing no one; unlike the results of 

 speculative competition, those mere exchanges of wealth too often be- 

 sprinkled with tears of the widow and the orphan, or even the suc- 

 cesses of legitimate commerce, seldom attained without grinding compe- 

 tition, involving the very life-blood of struggling man." 



H. H. GROFF, lief ore Provincial Association. 



***** 



"I have been an interested observer of the work of Mr. Groff during 

 the past ten years, and it is particularly worthy of commendation. His 

 display of hybrid Gladioli at Buffalo is wonderful, and it is safe to 

 say that the named varieties of five years ago sink into insignificance 

 when placed alongside of his seedlings. Mr. Grofif's Gladiolus exhibit 

 is worth a visit to the Pan-American. It is at once an object lesson and 

 an inspiration." 



Cornell University. Ithaca, N. Y. —PROF. JOHN CRAIG. 

 ***** 



From Luther Burbank, to Mr. H. H. Grolf: 



"I have watched your progress with the Gladioli, especially at the 

 Pan-American, etc., and am delighted you have made such a glorious 

 success of it. With the many discouragements of Plant Originators 

 there is plenty of silver lining sooner or later." 



Santa Rosa, Cal., Jan. 2, 1902. 



***** 



"Varieties improved from man's point of view must receive kind 

 treatment and richer food than wild forms of the same plant. The cul- 

 tivated plant, like the domesticated animal, yields in a measure its powers 

 of self-defense to adapt itself to our service. Man must in return provide 

 for its safety and nourishment. In the improvement of plants the action 

 of man, much like influences which act on plants in tiie wild state, only 

 brings about slow and gradual changes, often scarcely noticeable at first. 

 But if the first efforts toward the desired end be kept on steadily, the 

 changes will soon become greater and greater, and the last stages of the 

 improvement will become. much more rapid than the first one." 



— VILMORIN. 



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