THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN, 
A 
107 
WIZARD OF HORTICULTURE. 
The name and fame of Luther Burbank are world-wide. 
He was born in Lancaster, Worcester County, Mass., on 
Mardi 7, 1849. His father was.a farmer and manufacturer, 
and his mother, now living at the age of eighty-two, 
always possessed, as does Luther, in a high degree, a 
subtle intuitive perception, by which results are more or 
less clearly foreshadowed without the usual necessary 
mental processes; this power combined with good judg¬ 
ment and a love for the work has produced results in 
horticulture not dreamed of a few years ago. From his 
continued successes in producing new forms of living 
plants in unexpected directions he is often called “ The 
Edison of plant life ” and “ The wizard of horticulture.” 
In childhood with one of his cousins—a naturalist and 
friend and associate of Agassiz—he took long walks and 
the thirst for a better knowl¬ 
edge of nature was thus to some 
extent gratified, and many happy 
hours were spent in the woods 
and fields studying rocks, trees 
and flowers. 
At eighteen years of age, after 
having received a liberal educa¬ 
tion Mr. Burbank went to 
Worcester, Mass., to learn wood¬ 
turning and pattern making for 
the Ames Plow Co. After three 
years and finding the dust and 
confinement not suited to his 
tastes, he purchased a twenty-acre 
farm in Lunenburg, Mass., where 
he could continue to study, in¬ 
vestigate and experiment with 
the variations of plants, and this 
was where the “ Burbank ” potato 
originated and where many other 
experiments were instituted some 
of which have since resulted in 
valuable fruits, flowers and vege¬ 
tables. 
Finding the climate of New England too severe for 
some of the plants with which he was working he re¬ 
moved to Santa Rosa, California, where he has since lived 
and where his creative work in producing new fruits, 
flowers, vegetables, trees shrubs and grasses has made his 
name famous; the benefits conferred by this work will be 
better known a generation hence, for it is a pioneer work 
and the life of one man is too short to show the full re¬ 
sults. Unusual patience, diligence and perseverance are 
necessary to perceive and follow valuable variations 
which to less trained eyes would seem insignificant. 
The work which Mr. Burbank is now doing would seem 
to be enough to occupy the time and abilities of a dozen 
men, and not being satisfied with the hardiness or habits 
of the material which can be produced through the chan¬ 
nels of the general trade, he takes journeys of many 
thousand miles to the mountains in the far North where 
plant life has to struggle with a brief summer and a 
winter temperature of 60 to 80 degrees below zero. 
Desert and mountain top, swamp and field, each have to 
contribute to his omnivorous plant workshop, and when 
the finished product is turned out in the form of a grand 
new hardy cross bred plum, a frost-resisting berry, or a 
charming new rose or lily, he finds ready sale for it at 
prices which seem fabulous to those who do not know the 
cost of time, thought and labor necessary for its produc¬ 
tion, 
Mr. Burbank’s most extensive operations are conducted 
near Sebastopol, where he has a large tract of land ex¬ 
actly suited to his purposes. He also has capacious green¬ 
houses and ample ground facilities at his superb residence 
on Petaluma avenue, in Santa Rosa. 
From the multitude of seedlings raised each year he 
selects a very few which by their 
growth show improvement over 
others of their species theretofore 
cultivated. These are tested for 
several years before their charac¬ 
teristics can be definitely ascer¬ 
tained. The seeds of these im¬ 
proved specimens are planted, 
and, a promising variation of 
the last generation of seedlings 
having been produced, several 
improvements may be expected 
in the next generation. The 
best of these are, in their turn, 
selected for producing still 
others, and, after a time, by this 
careful selection, great improve¬ 
ment is the natural result. 
Another means employed is to 
select the best varieties and cross 
them with others. By this plan 
valuable varieties are sometimes 
obtained. 
This devotee of a delightful 
and most beneficent science has 
nearly all the prominent horti- 
Europe, South Africa, Australia, 
New Zealand and even a few from Asia, commending his 
work in the highest possible terms and expressing hearty 
appreciation of the invaluable benefits which he has con¬ 
tributed to horticultural science. 
LUTHER BURBANK. 
received letters from 
culturists in America, 
Thomas Wilson, Brighton, N. Y., sends fine samples of 
the Weaver plum, one of the best of the natives. It is 
hardy and prolific and the fruit is juicy and of excellent 
flavor. 
“ Kieffer or ‘ KeifTer’ pear.—In the appendix of Down¬ 
ing’s fruit book, this famous pear is spelled ‘ Keiffer,’ 
while the proper orthography should be ‘ Kieffer.’ 'I here 
is no use naming anything in honor of another unless the 
name be correctly spelled.”— Meehan's Monthly. 
