How to Judge Novelties — Look to Their Source 
The people are the final judges in all matters, whether of new fruits 
and flowers, or of any other production of the human mind and soul. A 
new bean, melon, radish, or cucumber may be fully tested and its value 
known in a few months. Several years are required to test the tree fruits, 
so that growers, dealers and consumers may fully know their real value. 
The greatest inconvenience and injustice I have met is not misunder- 
standing, prejudice, envy, jealousy, ignorance or ingratitude, but that pur- 
chasers are so often deceived by various unscrupulous dealers who, taking 
advantage of the name "Burbank" hoist on the public green carnations, 
hardy bananas, U. S. Government thorny cactus for Burbank Thornless ones, 
blue roses, seedless watermelons, cigars, real estate, magazine articles, false 
statements of having been in my employ, and a thousand other things; 
and by outrageous misrepresentations or the change or addition of a word 
or two from the correct descriptions, deceiving purchasers even when a 
genuine product of real value may happen to be offered. 
"With the labor and assiduous attention removed that the Carnegie Institute 
demanded of Burbank during the life of its appropriations he is enjoying- a much 
wider freedom, which has stimulated new endeavor along plant breeding lines." — 
Henry W. Kruckeberg, Editor "Rural California!!" and other rural publications. 
Yes! After having been under "capture" for the avowed purpose of 
"the benefit of science" for five years by the Carnegie Institute of Wash- 
ington, five years of care, leanness, hampering restrictions and unprofitable 
conditions, and having dictated to and corrected for their botanists several 
thousand pages, it is a most gracious relief to return to a life free from the 
red tape of institutional restrictions, with its accompaniment of envy and 
jealousy, to a life of active freedom. My whole business has been reorgan- 
ized during the past twelve months and more good fruits and flowers may 
be expected from time to time as of yore. 
LUTHER BURBANK, 
January, 1911. Santa Rosa, Cal. 
"I was very glad to hear that you got clear from the capitalist power and influence, 
as no man with a gift and guided by intuition could succeed under such influence." — 
G. L., San Jose, Cal. 
"Luther Burbank is so interesting a subject to the general public that his personal 
friends have had to take active measures to save him from his admirers. Not only do 
people Hood him with questions by mail, but a large proportion of the visitors to the 
Pacific Coast do not think their duty done without stopping off at Santa Rosa to have 
a chat with the originator of the spineless cactus. As a result. Mr. Burbank is not 'at 
home' to the public, and his approaches are guarded rather more effectually, if any- 
thing, than those to the President of the United States. "—Washington (D. C.) Herald. 
