Luther Burbank; man, methods and achievements;

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LUTHER BURBANK

MAN, METHODS and
AVG ECE WV EMER NS

ALIN SA PPRE CIATION,

BY
BE DEWAAGRS DI. Wil Crk OlN d
ProressorR oF AGRICULTURAL Practice, Universiry OF CALIFORNIA
ILLUSTRATED FROM PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHAW, SANTA ROSA
TABER, SAN FRANCISCO AND TIBBIZTS, SAN FRANCISCO
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REPRINTED FROM “SUNSET MAGAZINE” BY :

SOUTHERN PACIFIC COMPANY

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Taber, Photo LUTHER BURBANK, OF SANTA ROSA, HORTICULTURAL SCIP}

SOUTHERN.
FPACIFIG

Not only horticulturists, but all who honor men who do things, will find interest,
instruction and entertainment in these papers concerning Luther Burbank, of Cali-
fornia, written originally for SuNset Macazine, by Mr. Burbank’s friend and horti-
cultural associate, Professor Edward J. Wickson, University of California.

Wherever “the round world over” men know flowers and fruits, know of their
origin, their development and their creation, there is Luther Burbank recognized as a
man of wondrous power. He has done things. Like that soldier hero, who at the
outbreak of the Spanish war, carried this Nation’s message to Garcia, Mr. Burbank,
without flourish of trumpets, without asking for fame, has been quietly at work for
years at his home farm near Santa Rosa, California, developing and making fruits
and flowers. Patiently, tenderly, enthusiastically, he has worked with such results
that all men who know them give him the highest honor and praise.

A Nature lover, primarily, he is not a man content merely to sit idly by and
admire Nature in her various moods and creations. He has ventured to sport with
Nature; to see how bright flowers could be made brighter; small blossoms, larger ;
imperfect fruits, perfect. Thoreau, a Nature lover, too, was content to rest idly by
Walden Pond, but will be famous chiefly through communing with tree, bud and
blossom. Burroughs and Muir have roved through forests and over mountains, gain-
ing enjoyment and health for themselves and making the world richer by telling of
Nature’s grandeur. Different from them, and yet like them, in his simplicity of
heart and modesty of manner, Mr. Burbank, week after week, month after month,
year after year, has patiently tended gardens of flowers and experimental orchards
and berry patches, selecting, rejecting, exchanging, cultivating, watching, waiting
and succeeding. The story of it all has been known to comparatively few. To mag-
azine writers and those who sought to give the publicity which he surely has deserved,
Mr. Burbank has been extremely reticent. To Professor Wickson, in these papers,
he has confided many of the secrets that Nature has told to him. He was fortunate
in his confidant, for the writer of these papers by reason of his scientific attainments,
his sympathetic nature, his skilful pen, has accomplished well a task that must win
appreciative praise.

CHARLES SEDGWICK AIKBN,
Editor Sunset.

Man, Methods

and Achievernents.

BY EDWARD J. WICKSON
Of the University of California

FIRST PFAPER—_MAN |

T the close of the century the world
had paid half a billion dollars for
California fruit and fruit prod-

ucts, for which reward the California
growers had gathered from trees and
vines half a trillion pounds of fruit.
Through two most responsive centers of
human interest, the purse and the palate,
California has impressed her existence
and horticultural resources strongly up-
on the attention of the world and has
won distinction. But great as is this
achievement, both in itse olf and in its in-
fluences, it is not the only horticultural
achievement of California and it is not
the one which the world will most de-
light to honor. Certainly results are be-
ing achieved in California in higher hor-
ticultural arts which appeal to the
world’s sense of greatness more strongly
than do our great undertakings in com-
mercial fruit growing.

To originate new fruits of distinctive
characters and value is a higher horticul-
tural art than to multiply the product of
old fruits. New achievements in the lat-
ter line often of necessity invade estab-
lished trade and the vanquished but illy
brooks the conquest which exalts the vic-
tor, but the production of new fruits is
hailed evecrwliere with delight and
honor. The volume of the California
product, and the profit therein, interest
the counting room; the beauty and qual-
ity of the fruit enrich and adorn the
fair, the market and the sideboard, but
the new fruits, with characters hitherto
undreamed of and possibilities beneficent
and boundless, command the admiration

of the man of science, the philanthropist,
the statesman because they involve new
contributions to the sum of human
knowledge and are new gifts to the ele-
vation and advancement of mankind.

Above even these lofty achievements,
the origination of new fruits and flowers
is a manifestation of creative power in
the mind of man and a demonstration of
potentiality in human aspiration, insight
and devoted effort. Thus the recent ac-
complishment of the horticulturist tran-
scends horticulture. It also opens new
vistas to the biological sciences. It sug-
gests to those who have set metes and
bounds upon evolution in the vegetable
kingdom that God’s way is not as their
way and that no matter how great the
results by natural selection hitherto, ar-
tificial selection may surpass them all.
Along this pathway sublime the world
now concedes leadership to a Californian
and is eager to know more of him, his
methods and his achievements.

Luther Burbank, of Santa Rosa, Cal-
fornia, was born in Lancaster, Worcester
county, Massachusetts, March 7, 1849.
He was the thirteenth of fifteen children
born to Samuel Walton Burbank by
three marriages. The elder Burbank
was a man widely known and in all busi-
ness and social relations recognized to
be strong in conviction and unswerving
in his moral standards. He was an ad-
mirer and personal acquaintance of Em-
erson, Webster, Sumner, Beecher and
other strong men of his day. He de-
scended from an ancestry of indoor peo-

_

MAN, METHODS
ple, chiefly active in pedagogical and
manufacturing affairs and disclosing no
notable taste for open-air pursuits.

In the records of his mother’s family,
one who delights in evidence of the trans-
mission of tastes and traits can find the
source of notable horticultural inherit-
ance. His mother’s father, Peter Goff
Ross, was a grower of seedling grapes,
some of which had very good points, and
other members of the family indulged in
similar avocations. On the mother’s side
also were the Burpees, well known in
horticultural annals.

Whether this thirteenth child of his
father was thought to le beneath the
ban of an unlucky number or not, his
start upon life was not strong and his
promise not remarkable, even to those
who could be expected to see deeply into
such matters. He was slight of build,
rather serious in manner and retiring in
disposition. At a very early age he be-
gan to make playmates of plants and his
doll was a cactus plant, fondly carried
about until an accident shattered the
plant and a young heart at one opera-
tion. In school he was a diligent pupil,
but never able to overcome the fear of
the sound of his own voice in the pres-
ence of a throng. He was, however, apt
with the pen, free in composition and es-
eaped the terror of declamation by com-
pounding with the schoolmaster for twice
the prescribed volume of essay writing.
Quantity was no hardship to the pupil
and the quality pleased the teacher.

When quite a boy Luther began work
in the shops of the Ames Plow Company
in which his uncle, Luther Ross, occu-
pied a position of responsibility. This
uncle had a liking for horticultural ex-
periment, and the half days when he was
released from the shop to work among
his uncle’s seedling grapes and rhubarbs
were pleasant to the shop boy. In fact,
he often looked wistfully through the
dusty air of the shop upon the distant
trees and realized that they were calling
him to pursuits more congenial than
manufacturing. And yet no allurement
could distract the attention of the boy
from what was properly before him.
Thus early he possessed a concentration
of mind and definiteness of purpose
which are elements of genius, for when
about sixteen years of age, he conceived

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS i

and developed an improvement in the
wood-working machinery of the factory
which was so valuable that the owners
offered to multiply his wages more than
twenty-five times if he would remain and
give the concern the products of his work
as an inventor. He decided, however,
that the society of plants was worth more
to him than shop work, even at its high-
est levels, and he soon entered upon a

‘horticultural career on the foundation

of a seed and plant business.

Before this his attention was fixed
upon the origination of improved varie-
ties by the discussion, in the agricultural
papers of the time, of the desirability of
better potatoes and he soon attracted no-
tice by his achievements in this direc-
tion, through exhibits made at the coun-
ty fairs. His first great success was the
Burbank potato, the relation of which
to his other work will be discussed later.
He was proceeding well with the orig-
ination of new varieties and in regular
seed and plant business when he became
convinced of the desirability of Califor-
nia as a field for horticultural pursuits
and a decision to emigrate was quickly
made. He reached Santa Rosa in the
fall of 1875 with few resources except a
resolute, confident spirit and ten Bur-
bank potatoes which he reserved by
agreement when the whole stock of that
first great achievement of his was sold
to a leading Massachusetts seedsman.
His first business announcement in Cali-
fornia was an offer of new potatoes and
it won patronage from enterprising
growers who were fully assured of the
deterioration of the common sorts and
welcomed improvement. He soon built
up a general nursery business and, at
the same time, made notable advances in
plant breeding.

After a little more than a decade of
this twofold effort he cleared the way for
concentration upon the chosen work of
his life and in 1893 published the first of
a notable series of announcements to
which he gave the title “New Creations
in Fruits and Flowers.” Other issues

followed in 1894, 1898, 1899 and 1901. |

They contain descriptions and pictures

of his most striking achievements, sug-—

gestions of his horticultural beliefs and
purposes, and tributes of many who have
expressed opinions upon his work and

he

MAN,

METHODS

its results. These publications produced
a profound sensation throughout the
horticultural world.

Such, in mere outline, is Mr. Bur-
bank’s life. Phases of it may intrude as
the effort is made to show what manner
of man he is.

The little cottage in which Mr. Bur-
bank has long made a home for himself
and his mother, a lady of nearly ninety,
is within the corporate limits of Santa
Rosa, a beautiful and brisk town of
about nine thousand inhabitants, situ-
ated about fifty miles northerly from
-San Francisco. Here he purchased a
tract of four acres in 1878 and upon it
has maintained his residence and busi-
ness headquarters until the present time.
Here, too, part of his propagation has
been done, though he owns other lands,
a few miles away, of lighter soil and
warmer exposure which, because of supe-
rior fitness, have been used for his larg-
est cultural work.

The visitor approaches the modest cot-
tage through closely trimmed box bor-
ders which must be taken as a reminis-
cence of old-fashioned, New England
gardening, for such are seldom seen in
California. In its summer garb of de-
ciduous climbers the little dwelling loses
its conventional outlines in picturesque
verdure. All around the dwelling are
areas of lawn and beds of plants, the lat-
ter being in many cases the working col-
lections of the propagator for there are
many enclosures of small area which
contain an almost incredible number of
species. In one case, for instance, forty
species of golden rod are grouped for
close study of their characteristic growth
and bloom, while in another a large col-
lection of sedums is massed as “mother
plants” of new races of their kind. All
the world makes contributions to these
study tables of Mr. Burbank, and the vis-
itor to the home takes particular delight
in them. Upon the lawn are various
trees, the chief being anivy-clad draccena
and a towering araucaria. Contiguous
to the dwelling are greenhouses, potting
shed and barn—exceeding in costand im-
pressiveness the-owner’s house, which is
an orthodox arrangement for farm struc-
tures. Along the street front are six
trees of great beauty, a hybrid of Eng-

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 9

lish and California black walnut—the
first cross-bred tree of Mr. Burbank’s
growing.

In his modest home and in the very
simple arrangements with which he car-
ries on his notable work, the discerning
visitor can find many suggestions of the
spirit and disposition of the man. He
utterly neglects the impression upon peo-
ple which even what might be considered
the proper paraphernalia of his work
would make. He grows no slow plants;
he gives no prominence to rare things;
he indulges in no display of instruments
and accessories which one who works so
largely by plant surgery could excusably
delight in. He shows no library, no lab-
oratory, no case of medals and certifi-
cates. He is, in fact, so utterly regard-
less of the furniture and bric-a-brac of
his profession that casual visitors are
disappointed that so great a man should
have so few things, and even the visiting
expert is misled into the conclusion that,
because he is ushered into no library, Mr.
Burbank is neglectful of the garnered
wisdom of the ages. Such an error is the
fault of the observer. He is widely read
in biological science in all its leading
lines, but he approaches no work by the
compilation route. His strange insight
and memory enable him instantly to
sieze upon and retain the facts and prin-
ciples which he desires for direct use, or
as contributions to the fulness of his con-
ceptions. For many years he read large-
ly to doubt and disprove, for his experi-
ence and observation led him to different
conclusions. This was only natural be-
cause his work was in advance of the rec-
ords; but he still diligently sought for
gleams of truth available to him in
current scientific literature and was
strengthened and encouraged thereby.

Mr. Burbank never surrounded him-
self with elaborate appliances of re-
search because he believed that he was
dealing with very simple propositions.
By patient search through the infinite
variety of manifestations, which ap-
peared in connection with each experi-
mental effort, he saw principles and laws
revealing themselves so clearly that he
could reach their demonstration with the
naked eye and hand. For such a gifted
seer neither weird altar fires, nor incense
cloud, nor ecstatic state could add to in-

Tibbitts, photo MR. BURBANK AMONG HIS FLORAL FRIENDS

MAN, METHODS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 11
sight. He could nection with this writing will give the
hear the “still physiognomical reader opportunity for

small voice” with-
out preparatory
earthquake or
whirlwind. Like
David of old he
could do his work
with smooth peb-
bles from the
brook; and he
cast aside the elab-
orate armament of
his scientific
brethren lest it
should impede his
movements. Mr.
Burbank’s meth-
odsand resultsare
a new illustration
of the old truth
that great discov-
eries are often
made with the
simplest means.
The victory in-
heres in the man,
not in the appar-
atus. Some intimations of this fact may
appear later, in connection with the dis-
cussion of his methods.

The simplicity of Mr. Burbank’s home
and surroundings is a aeiieeiation also
of his simple tastes and requirements.
He is generous in his expenditures,
broad in his views and a lover of the best
in all lines he pursues, but such has al-
ways been the nature of his work and his
associations that high living has not in-
truded upon his horizon. All its hollow-
ness and ostentation would be hateful to
him, but so liberal is his view and so
tender his regard for the tastes and de-
sires of others that he would be forgetful
of condemnation. The simple hfe and
home environment of this man, whose
name is so widely honored, are not main-
tained as a rebuke to those who adorn
their successes with luxurious surround-
ings and strive for social efthinence as
wider recognition of that success. All
such things are absent from his thought,
either to possess or to condemn them.

Sanam eames eoearceae|

t

MR. BURBANK IN CHARAC-
TERISTIC POSH

Of Mr. Burbank’s personal appearance
little need be said. The ample portrait-
ure which the publishers provide in con-

original analysis. He is of medium stat-
ure and rather slender form; light eyes
and dark hair now rapidly running to
silver. His countenance is very mobile,
lighting up quickly and as quickly re-
ceding to the seriousness of earnest at-
tention, only to rekindle with a smile or
relax into a laugh, if the subject be in
the lighter vein. He is exceedingly quick
in apprehension, seeming to anticipate
the speaker but never intruding upon
his speech. here is always a sugges-
tion of shyness in his manner and there
is ever present a deep respectfulness.
Those who do not know him well may
easily misinterpret this as reserve or pre-
Ye cupation. These characters are notably
absent in the man. He is frank, open-
hearted and outspoken, though all these
traits must be sought beneath the cover
of his reticence. All his actions are art-
less and quiet; even the modulations
of his voice follow the lower keys. He
talks freely, confidently and enthusias-
tically of his work to one who manifests
interest in it, but says little of his own
relation to it. This is merely because his
personality appears to him as incidental
to the work rather than one of its lead-
ing factors.

Those who meet Mr. Burbank but cas-
ually are prone to err in their judgment
of him. They are apt to magnify his ret-
icence until they see in it timidity, self-
depreciation, inexperience, embarrass-
ment and the like. All these forms of
weakness are absent from the man. He
is self-confident but not self-assertive.
He is fearless and not to be easily turned
from the way he expects to go, but he
does not insist that others shall go his
way. He seldom errs in his judgment of
men and he usually gives the loud and
effusive visitor the right of way in con-
versation, studying him meantime with
a wondering eye. Even from this defen-
sive state into which he is thrown, quiet
repartee will occasionally come to show
that he is holding an upper hand and
suffering neither from embarrassment
nor inexperience. To one whom he ad-
mits to the inner circles of his friendship
he is a most delightful man. To such
he shows strength, self-trust and wonder-
ful resources of mind—all these master-

LUTHER

ful traits, however, being ruled by a
spirit of exquisite tenderness toward all
men and unbounded charity for their
beliefs and actions. For his few close
friends he has a depth of affection and
gratitude and_ self-denying devotion
which are seldom met with. Upon their
views of the man, from the advantage of
the closest acquaintance, must the pubile
form its conception of him. One well-
known Californian, Mr. 8. F. Leib of
San Jose, president of the Board of
Trustees of Stanford University, stands
nearer to Mr. Burbank by the ties of full
knowledge and _ reciprocated affection
than any other man. To him Mr. Bur-
bank delights to acknowledge debts of en-
couragement, stimulation and incentive
which have sustained him and carried
him through the periods of depression
which come to all lone workers. At the
writer’s request Mr. Leib pays this ex-
pressive tribute to his friend:

Friendship has arisen between us which
makes us like brothers. I think I know as
nearly the innermost part of his life as any
other man in existence. I have never known

BURBANK

a nature more full of absolute sweetness. He
is absolutely honorable in every way and is
honest to a fault. He lives, what is termed in
the parlance of the day, a strenuous life, far
too much so for his physical endurance. He
is an intense man, a man who carefully plans
for results and then works for their fulfilment
with a patience that exceeds that of Job
himself. It may be a question of years to
arrive at a single result. Necessarily before
arriving at success in seeking to accomplish
a given result, he must meet with many
failures, but nothing seems to daunt him
until suecess finally crowns his efforts.

In disposition Mr. Burbank is an op-
timist. He is filled with enthusiasm
which lacks nothing of strength and
warmth because its manifestation is al-
ways ruled by the characteristic quiet-
ness of the man. Optimism is the force
which underlies his self-confidence and
his great expectations; it sustains him
through the most protracted effort and
enables him to seize strongly upon slight
indications of progress. Optimism en-
ters into his most fundamental concep-
tions and imparts courage to pursue
them. Without optimism he could not
think of his work; much less achieve it.

IN THE BURBANK PXPHRIMENTAL GARDENS

MAN, METHODS

From his optimism proceeds enthusiasm,
but his temperament saves him from be-
ing an enthusiast. His imagination is
ample and varied in its richness, but the
keenness of his insight frees him from
visions and fallacies. It is true that his
trustfulness and tenderness have at times
been misplaced and he has experienced
disappointments and sorrows, but these
have added to his worth as a man by
their refining and softening influences.
Disciplined by his experience he has
learned well the lesson that disappoint-
ment is incidental and not the conclu-
sion of any valuable work, nor of any
true thought, and he will remain hope-
ful, enthusiastic, self-reliant and force-
ful to the end.

Mr. Burbank is a better business man
than one usually finds among optimists.
As already suggested, he came to Cali-
fornia with scant resources and with
some responsibilities. He began forth-
with to establish himself and to lay the
foundation for the greater work which
he held steadily in mind and for which
he knew considerable funds would be re-
quired. He secured land and entered
upon a nursery enterprise, fortunately
just at a period when great fruit-plant-
ing fervor prevailed and good prices
were paid for trees. He accumulated
money rapidly and made investments in
real estate which have, on the whole,
proved satisfactory, though they had to
take the tortuous path to which such
ventures are generally born. The net
result of his financiering is a compe-
tence fit to cover the moderate require-
ments of his modest living to its end.
In this respect, Mr. Burbank departs
from the usual course of optimists in
science and invention and secures re-
spectable standing as a business man. It
is also a sign of business ability that the
last decade, which has been wholly given
to his chosen work of creation of novel-
ties of a most striking character, as will
be shown later in these papers, has
brought income equal to the great cost of
the work.

According to commercial standards,
the wonderful production which Mr.
Burbank has achieved should have yield-
ed him wealth, but the man with the
ledger should remember that commercial
profit is not the measure of such work.

AN D

ACHIEVEMENTS 15

It is not in that class. It is comparable,
rather, with scientific discovery, for
which nations, institutions or wealthy
individuals lavishly provide; and the
demonstration that a man can pursue
his quiet course amid discoveries fit to
craze an ordinary enthusiast, and can
command money enough to meet the
large expenditures necessary to original
investigation, work and experiment upon
so large a scale, entitles Mr. Burbank to
high rating as a business man. He had
no time to organize companies and cap-
italize his enterprises, nor to strive for
subsidies because of the vast public value
of his achievements. He encouraged no
promoters, he made no appeals to those
who haye influence with governing
boards or legislatures. So far as the
writer knows he never asked a favor in
the way of support or influence, though
the air has been filled with suggestions
along such lines, from his friends. He
undertook his campaign like an adven-
turous general who strikes into the heart
of an unknown region, confident in his
own purposes and strength and resolved
to command his supplies from the coun-
try traversed. Of course, he could not
stop for the development of enterprises.
His purpose was conquest of the un-
known. He is emerging now into the
full sunshine which gilds the brows of
conquerors, and the country he has trav-
ersed is open to development of incalcu-
lable richness.

This achievement demonstrates Mr.
Burbank’s possession of unique power
and resources. Confidence, self-contain-
ment, conservative commercial ability,
uncompromising rejection of speculation
in his own glittering commodities, gen-
tle declination of all suggestions of
eleemosynary appeals to the public—all
these are characteristic of his progress.
He stands today, as he has always stood,
a man great enough to cherish great
ideas and to attain results without allow-
ing the heart flutters of satisfaction or
the promptings of ambition to lighten
his pressure upon the solid ground of
safe and secure advancement along his
chosen course.

It is probable that every man of bal-
ance and force feels satisfaction and a
just pride in the possession of such pow-
ers and does not enjoy belittlement of

14 1D} )0) AW abies

SR nPPRene pe PRPRIPENET

BURBANK

Upon the lawn are various trees, the chief being an
ivy-clad dracoena and a towering araucaria

them. Mr. Burbank rightly feels that
the suggestion that the public ought to
provide for his work is too often a re-
flection upon his own ability to provide
for it. He is pained by disclosures of
that point of view in the eyes of his
friends, and they have wounded his deli-
cate sensibilities by what seemed to them
complimentary allusions. The claim
that his work ought to be assumed by the
government or by an institution in the
public interest, because it is capable of

indefinite expansion under his direction,
by multiplying agencies to work out his
suggestions, is a somewhat different
proposition, and will be considered in
another connection later.

In spite of the strength which that
proposition discloses .at first glance,
fuller consideration of it begets a doubt
whether, indeed, Burbank might not
mean Jess to coming generations as a
sidelight to a bureau than as a lone star
glowing in the horticultural horizon.

MAN, METHODS
Christopher Columbus, from a central
office at Cadiz, with ample funds and tel-
ephonic connection with all the ports of
Europe, could have ordered yoyages of
discovery to all points of the compass
and have placed every continent and
island on the map in a few years. The
world would have found itself and have
lost its hero. The devotion to conviction
and the heroic struggle of Columbus,
and the picture of him as, in the mo-
ment of his triumph, he fell upon his
knees on the shore of the new world,
have been, for more than four centuries,
a sublime incentive and example. From
these the world has realized vastly more
than if Columbus, as chief of an inter-
national bureau of discovery, had won
the ultimate acre of existing land. It is
not what is given to men, but what they
are incited to do for themselves, that
makes for exaltation and progress. ‘The
world has unfolded as civilization has
risen to use new areas. Plant devel-
opment is one of the phases of civiliza-
tion, and it makes new conquests as they
are needed in the onward rush of man-
kind. We are now at the beginning of
an epoch of accelerated motion in this
direction. Burbank is the prophet of
this epoch. Obeying the command of
the Infinite, he is carrying the gates of
Gaza. Let not the Delilah of modern or-
ganization shear him of his god-given
strength and make him like other men.

Current conceptions of Mr. Burbank
involve errors more or less serious. Con-
servatism, as embodied in efforts at hy-
bridization along what are called scien-
tific limes, has not hesitated to place him
on the plane of charlatanry, while cred-
ulous people have lifted him to what
seems to them an exalted state of won-
der-working magic and wizardism.

Te has worked through a country not
yet officially surveyed, above the path-
way of the contemporaneous scientists,
and it is not wonderful, then, that they
should fail to recognize him for a time.
Confident of his earnest desire to. read
nature aright and convinced of the ac-
curacy of the results of his patient efforts
in this direction, he has been hurt in his
sensitive spirit by what seemed to be aca-
demic distrust of him. Comments have
been made by recognized authorities
which seemed to charge that he was

AN D

holding to fallacies in recognizing prin-
ciples which he had fully demonstrated
in his own researches and experiments.
Conservatism, in fact, almost claimed
that he was making a travesty of science
for the amazement of the horticultural
gallery.

All through this affliction, Mr. Bur-
bank has been patient, never taking up
the pen except to correct some miscon-
ception of the science involved in his
work. He was strong in his faith that
judgment of his motives and methods
would ere long be just, and he was will-
ing to wait, but he became restless when
any one proclaimed limitations in na-
ture which he knew did not exist. But
though Mr. Burbank bore, in his quiet,
serious way, the burdens of distrust and
misapprehension which fall usually to
the lot of those who extend the frontiers
of human knowledge, it has been his
good fortune to realize relief sooner than
many other frontiersmen in science. He
submitted his novel achievements freely
for expert judgment. He gave the full-
est information of their origin and de-
velopment. He cordially welcomed those
in whose judgment and intelligence he
had confidence to full examination of
all his materials and practices, and peo-
ple from all parts of the world satisfied
themselves of his honesty and frankness
as well as of the wonderful novelty and
originality. of his accomplishments.
Probably the last doubt of Mr. Bur-
bank’s genuineness passed from the aca-
demic mind when the as sembling in San
Francisco, in 1899, of the Association of
American Agricultural Colleges and Ex-
periment Stations gave a large group of
scientific men from all parts of the coun-
try an opportunity to critically examine
him and his work on his own grounds at
Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. The re-
ports which these visitors published,
through many channels at the east, were
eloq vent of doubts removed and demon-
tutioné accepted. Since then, as
though to atone for the errors of the
past, distant comments upon Mr. Bur-
bank and his work have been most cor-
dial and appreciative.

An opposite phase of Mr. Burbank’s
experience is found in the admiration of
those who have looked upon his achieve-
ments as involving superhuman elements.

ACHIEVEMENTS 15,

Hwnos6 s.yunging “pt Jo aa, pasg-sso.1o
qsay ay? “nujpom yong prighy D ap fay T VSOU VINVS LY Govid MNVAUNA ANG JO NOU NI ALAVAA Gyauo wo saad

MAN, METHODS
They early proclaimed him the “Wizard
of Horticulture.” Nothing but his ex-
treme amiability enabled him to under-
go the imputation of witchcraft which
the term implies. He accepted epithets
of this character as merely conveying
the popular acknowledgment that his
achievements were wonderful. No one
knew better than he how new and won-
derful they really were, and, in his meas-
ureless kindness of heart, without pro-
test he allowed all people to speak of
them in the terms which seemed to them
most appropriate. Some of his friends
doubted the wisdom of this course. They
would have approved a mild rebuke up-
on those who seemed to cast a shade
upon the genuineness of his effort by
applying to him epithets which pertain
to fakirs, and it may be that his seeming
acceptance of the terms encouraged the
impression of the academicians that he
might be, indeed, a man of visions and

fallacies. But in the end it matters lit-
tle. The universal acknowledgment now

that he is working with wonderful in-
dustry and insight for the demonstration
of new truth and the application of it,
makes it of little moment whether the
term, “Wizard of Horticulture,” was em-
ployed in admiration or interrogation.
In both cases it has outlived its useful-
ness.

Mr. Burbank has been too fully oc-
cupied with the chief work of his life to
develop other lines of talent and taste

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 17

which are manifestly within his com-
mand. One of these is literary effort.
Aside from his announcements of fin-
ished work which have already been men-
tioned, he has written three papers for
public occasions. In these he disclosed a
depth of thought, originality of concep-
tion, tenderness of sentiment, and withal
a breadth of view, which were something
of a surprise to those who had only
thought of him as an industrious and
skilful plantsman. In these writings
his conception of the nature of the
plant and of the relation of the mind
of man thereto, are stated, not only
with clearness, but with charming lt-
erary style.

In what has been written about Mr.
Burbank there have been full tributes to
his industry, the breadth of his work
and of the patience of his pursuit of his
achievements, but in his own writings
we have an intimation, such as we have
never had before, of the richness and
keenness of his imagination, without
which all his other qualities would fail
of fruition. Here lies his creative fac-
ulty, and it is not unhke that which has
given the world its great poems and
works of art. The world recognizes Mr.
Burbank as a great man for what he ac-
complishes; it is waiting to grant him
similar honor for what he thinks. The
relation of his thought to his methods
and achievements will appear later in
the discussion of those branches of our
subject.

SECOND PAPER—

Illustrations from photographs by William Shaw, Santa Rosa, California

VER since Mr. Burbank’s new
BE fruits and flowers began to at-

tract attention there has been the
keenest anxiety to learn his methods.
The wildest reports have been current
and the ordinary person has been ready
to believe that either some tricks of hor-
ticultural jugelery were practiced, or at
least some profound secret was relied
upon to secure the wonderful results.
T’o those who held such beliefs it seemed
clear that a revelation from Mr. Bur-
bank was a thing to be most ardently de-
sired. This idea lar gely prevailed in the
invitation extended to him, by the Amer-
ican Pomological Society, to prepare an
essay on “How to Produce New Fruits
and Flowers,” for its meeting In Sacra-
mento in 1895. The announcement of
his consent thereto was widely taken to
mean that Mr. Burbank would make
public his methods of wonder-working.
The audience was alert to catch every
word of the anticipated recipe. Here
are a few of the ingredients:

In pursuing the study of any of the univer-
sal and everlasting laws of Nature, whether
relating to the life, growth, structure and
movements of a giant planet, the tiniest plant
or of the psychological movements of the
human brain, some conditions are necessary
before we can become one of Nature’s inter-
preters or the creator of any valuable work
for the world. * * * Preconceived no-
tions, dogmas and all personal prejudice and
bias must be laid aside: listen patiently,
quietly and reverently 1 _ lessons, one by
one, which Mother Nature uas to teach, shed-
ding light on that which was before a mys-
tery, so that all who will may see and know.
She conv eys her truths only to those who are
passive and receptive * accepting truths
as suggested, wherever they may lead, then
we have the whole universe in harmony with
us. * * * At last man has found a solid
foundation for science, having discovered that
he is part of a universe which is “eternally
unstable in form, eternally immutable in
substance.’’*

Some of Mr. Burbank’s hearers were
rather disappointed when he gave them
philosophy instead of prescription. They
were surprised to be told that, in the
work of producing new fruits and flow-

*Proceedings of the American Pomological So-
ciety, 1895, page 59.

ers, a correct conception of the constitu-
tion of the universe, involving the rela-
tion of the mind of man to the phenom-
ena of Nature, is the very starting point.
All aims, purposes and methods in orig-
ination of new plants are conditioned
upon such a conception, and Mr. Bur-
bank, deeply conscious as he is of this
fact, could not lose sight of the’ philos-
ophy which actuates his efforts. He met
a perverse generation seeking after a
sien, but he could give them no sign, ex-
cept such as they could descry in the
very nature of things with which they
had to deal.

A little more definite statement of his
view of the relation of plant nature to
human insight and effort is found in an-
other of Mr. Burbank’s public utter-
ances:

The chief work of the botanists of yester-
day was the study and classification of dried,
shriveled plant mummies whose souls had
fled, rather than the living, plastic forms.
They thought their classified species were
more fixed and unchangeable than anything
in heaven or earth that we can now imagine.
We have learned that they are as plastie in
our hands as clay in the hands of the potter
or color on the artist’s canvas, and can readily
be molded into more beautiful forms and
colors than any painter or scuiptor can ever
hope to bring forth. * * * The changes
which can be wrought with the most plastic
forms are simply marvelous, and only those
who have seen this regeneration transpiring
before their
vinced.*

In this connection it would not be
wise to go beyond this mere suggestion
of the philosophy underlying Mr. Bur-
bank’s work. The words, ‘ ‘eternally un-
stable in form, eternally immutable in
substance,” which he delights in quot-
ing, disclose his conception of the wel-
come which Nature extends to those who
work diligently and intelligently for new
forms. It is a broad view, of course. It
recognizes no limitations nor classifica-
tion barriers, except as they arise in the
mind of man, and then they are indica-
tions of narrowness in man and not in
the Creative plan. Mr. Burbank is dis-

*Essay at Floral Congress in San Francisco:
Pacific Rural Press, July 6, 1901.

waa

very eyes can ever be fully con-__

MAN, METHODS
posed to insist strenuously on his view
of Nature, and it has been an inspiration
in all his work.

Having established in his own mind
this natural tendency to variation, .by

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 19

vation in his chosen field, is a gem of
many facets, shooting bright gleams of
significance through all the many phases
of his work and revealing opportunities
apparent only to his trained perceptions.
Selection, to Mr. Burbank, is a constantly

THE FRENCH PRUNE AND ITS OFFSPRING, THE GIANT PRUNE

wide reading of the great works on evo-
lution and by a wider experience in in-
stances of variation in it life than
has ever fallen to the lot of any other
man, Mr. Burbank naturally looks upon
artificial selection as the chief agency
through which his many achievements
have been attained. All the methods by
which variation can be induced or pro-
moted are merely avenues through which
forms are led to the bar of selection. Of
course, selection is an old art. It was
practiced even in prehistoric civilization,
because history begins with improved
forms of plants and animals. But one
can readily see that selection, in the
hands of a man of Mr. Burbank’s broad
conceptions and almost illimitable obser-

unfolding principle. It excited his
youthful interest and curiosity; it en-
grosses the deepest thought and employs
the finest arts of his manhood; it will
irradiate his last glance av earthly scenes.

Selection is, then, a first and last art
in the development of new forms of
plant or animal, interesting or useful to
mankind. With the founders of civiliza-
tion it was selection of the results of nat-
ural variation which seemed desirable ;
with the beginner of the present day it
is usually the same. Mr. Burbank be-
gan that way and it became the first of
his methods... .was his fortune that
one of his eavuest achievements proved
so notable. In his youth the older va-

FOUR OF THE OLD STANDARD VARIETIES AND ONE OF THE NEW

HE 1G) G0 VeL IB; las

BURBANK

—seedlings capable of budding or grafting are introduced to the forcing
influence of old plants of the same class

rieties of potatoes gave clear signs of
degeneration and interest was keen for
better varieties. Many were striving for
them and splendid results had been se-
cured. He cast his twine line and pin
hook in the same waters. He planted a
lot of Early Rose potatoes in his mother’s

garden in Massachusetts and watched
for the seed balls in which his possibili-
ties would be enclosed. Varieties of po-
tatoes, with vegetative energies diverted
y long multiplication from the tuber,
become scant in seed production. On
the whole patch young Burbank found
but a single seed ball, and watched its

growth day after day with anxious in-
terest. One morning it could not be
found and the youth was crushed in
spirit. After a time the thought came

to him that possibly some dog bounding
through the patch had dislodged the
precious seed ball, and the ground was
searched. It was soon found some feet
away from its parent stem. Twenty-
three small seeds were well developed.
From one of them came the Burbank
potato which gave its originator his first
grasp upon fame, and exerted an influ-
ence in determining his life work. Thus,

selection, in its sumplest form, was the
first of Burbank’s methods. Thus for-
tune, in her most generous mood, decreed
that one of the boy’s twenty-three seed-
lings should be notable, that, in after
years, the man might have courage to
burn over sixty thousand plants of one
kind at one time because none of them
were notable.

But, though artificial selection, prac-
ticed simply upon the forms resulting by
natural variation, may do for the boy-
hood of the race or the individual, it is
only a beginner’s art in either case. As
there is progress in mastery of the art,
there must be richer material for its ex-
ercise. Nature has her sportive disposi-
tion under control; she has developed
character; old allurements have lost
their force; she must be given new
temptations to lightness. Herein lie Mr.
Burbank’s chief methods. In their es-
sence there is nothing new; but the dar-
ing, the subtlety, the volume and the pa-
tience with which they have been pur-
sued have never been equaled, or even
approached.

To create a disturbance in those parts

A WHITE BLACKBERRY
ONE OF MR. BURBANK’S MOST STARTLING
ACHINVEMENTS

22

of the plant world which he chooses for
his operations is one of Mr. Burbank’s
first aims; to shape the form and direc-
tion of that disturbance is another; to
select, from the myriad manifestations of
such disturbance, those forms which pos-
sess new beauty, usefulness, or other sig-
nificance to mankind, is the ultimate
motive of his effort.

It is an old experience of mankind
that plants and animals are changed in
form and habit by transfer from native
wildness to domestication. Relief from
the old struggle and enjoyment of what
may be called care and comfort promote
variation. In the wild state variation is
repressed, because only those excep-
tional variations which minister to suc-
cess in the struggle survive. In the cul-
tivated state variation is not measured
by this cruel standard. This fact is of
constant value in Mr. Burbank’s work,
and the importance which he attaches
to cultivation and domestication, as a
method in his work, cannot be better told
than in his own words:

There is not one weed or flower, wild or
domesticated, which will not, sooner or later,
respond liberally to good cultivation and per-
sistent selection. What can be more delight-
ful than to adopt the most promising indi-
vidual from among a race of vile, neglected
weeds, down-trodden and despised by all; to
see it gradually change its sprawling habits,
its coarse, ill-smelling foliage, its insignifi-
cant blossoms of dull color to an upright
plant with handsome, glossy, fragrant leaves,
blossoms of every hue and with fragrance as
pure and lasting as could be desired. * * *
Weeds are weeds because they are jostled,
crowded, cropped and trampled upon, scorched
by fierce heat, starved or, perhaps, suffering
with cold, wet feet, tormented by insect pests
or lack of nourishing food and sunshine.
Most of them have no opportunity for blos-
soming out in luxurious beauty and abun-
dance. A few are so fixed in their habits
that it is better to select an individual for
adoption and improvement from a race which
is more pliable. This stability of character
cannot often be known except by careful trial,
therefore members from several races at the
same time may be selected with advantage;
the most pliable and easily educated ones
will soon make the fact manifest by showing
a tendency to “break” or vary slightly or,
perhaps, profoundly, from the wild state.
Any variation should be at once seized upon
and numerous seedlings raised from this in-
dividual. In the next generation, one or
several even more marked variations will be
almost certain to appear, for when a plant
once wakes up to the new influences brought
to bear upon it, the road is opened for endless
improvement in all directions, and the opera-

Uy OPO Tel WIRY 163 1) ee de} aN IN] IN

tor finds himself with a wealth of new forms
which is almost as discouraging to select
from as, in the first place, it was to induce
the plant to vary in the least.*

Mr. Burbank’s comments are given at
such length, in part to emphasize the
importance he attaches to this very old
and very simple method of securing new
plants. Of course, the penetrating reader
will see that, though the method is sim-
ple, the application of it affords oppor-
tunity for insight, for keen discrimina-
tion, for acute perception of slight ten-
dencies in variation and for patient
work, beyond description. But all these
would fail of notable results were they
not actuated by a true conception of
what is desirable—an ideal toward the
attainment of which every effort is di-
rected.

Beyond the elementary forms of dis-
turbance in plant life which pertain to
changes in environment lie the methods
which are popularly looked upon as more
wonderful, viz., crossing or hybridiza-
tion. Without attempting any exposi-
tion of the results of this act, for they
are amply set forth in the literature both
of science and horticulture, it may be -
briefly suggested that Mr. Burbank has
two main purposes in his recourse to
cross pollenation. One is to promote dis-
turbance, or, as it may be stated, to up-
set the equilibrium which has been es-
tablished in the plant. Seedlings from
cross-bred parentage show wide range
in variation, while the seedlings from
either parent without crossing may rarely
depart from the established type. When,
therefore, something more than can be
secured by change of environment is de-
sired, crossing is resorted to. The re-
sult is conflict between the dominant
traits of the ancestry, and while these
champions contend and, perhaps, disable
each other, other traits of remote ances-
try, long held in bondage by these dom-
inant traits, rush to the front and dis-
play their old prowess in some of the
offspring of the unwonted parentage.
Thus, there is spread before the proga-
gator a new field, rich in strange forms, |
endowed with strange characters, cat

which he applies the underlying prin- \)

ciple of selection, wisely or otherwise,
according to the depth of his insight and
the acuteness of his perceptions.

*Address before Floral Congress, loc. cit.

/

THE SHASTA DAISY AND ONE OF ITS PARENTS, THE BASTERN OX-BYE DAISY

24 LUTHER

IMPROVED BEACH PLUM—
A MARVEL OF PROLIFICNESS

The other purpose in crossing is the
combination of characters so that the

offspring may show, in one new ae
the desirable traits of both parents,
by continued crossing, accumulate ae
traits from several ancestors. Of course,
bad traits are accumulated or intensified
by the same process, so here again selec-
tion is invoked, with fullest powers, to
escape the evil and secure the good.

In his crossing Mr. Burbank has gone
beyond all old conceptions of affinity
within lines of botanical relationship
and has secured startling results, but
mention of them pertains rather to the
discussion of his achievements than of
his methods, and will appear in that
later connection.

What, then, are Mr. Burbank’s meth-
ods in cross pollenation or hybridizing ?
In this branch of his work the admiring
multitude has scented magic and the con-
servative scientist has suspected decep-
tion. Both have thirsted for informa-
tion as to methods. The most absurd re-
ports have been current, which have de-
ceived many. Mr. Burbank’s public ut-
terances have not given the details of his
work. In his few addresses it has seemed
to him more important to contend for
the principles he had demonstrated than

BURBANK

to describe manipulation. When it was
stated that he gathered pollen by buck-
etsful and pollenated with gangs of
Chinese armed with dredges ‘and bel-
lows, he regarded as a jest what, no
doubt, some credulous people believed.
It is pertinent, therefore, that a careful
account of Mr. Burbank’s pollenating
methods be presented to the reader.
The supply of pollen is generally se-
cured by gathering a quantity of the
anthers of the desired pollen
parent, usually the day before
the pollen is to be used, and dry-
ing them carefully. When in
proper degree of dryness, the
pollen is secured by gently shak-
“S ing or sifting the mass of dry
anthers over a watch crystal un-
til its surface is dusted over with
the pollen, the dust film appear-
ing most clearly on the lower
parts of the curved surface.
Kach genus, each species, and
sometimes each variety requires
modifications which are suggest-
ed by experience. The largest
quantity of blossoms of a single variety
which Mr. Burbank has handled at one
time is about a pint. He has found that
properly dried pollen ordinarily retains
its efficacy about one week; it might,
perhaps, in many cases retain its power
much longer.
The preparation of the blooms of the
seed parent consists in removing about
nine-tenths of the bloom buds when they
begin to show the petal color, leaving, in
trees which bloom freely, about one in
ten of the natural bloom to be operated
upon. This is for convenience of operat-
ing and to avoid the setting of too many
seeds for the tree to properly perfect.
Before the petals open, each of these
buds is carefully cut into with a small,
sharp knife blade, in such a way that the
petals and a part of the sepals and all
the attached anthers are removed as the
knife makes its circuit, leaving the pis-
tils exposed but uninjured by the opera-
tion. The accompanying sketches will
assist the lay reader to an | understanding
of the process. The removal of the cor-
olla balks the bees and other honey-
seeking insects, either by the loss of color
or by absence of alighting place, or both.
The buzzing Archimedes finds no place
for his lever and wearily goes his way,

MAN, METHODS
the honey unsipped and the pistil free
from contact with his pollen-dusted
body. Mr. Burbank finds it, in most
cases, unnecessary to cover
the emasculated
ayoid intrusion of undesira-

SANT Te

—the petals and a part of the
sepals and all the attached an-
thers are removed (enlarged)

ble pollen by insect agency.

He chooses for pollenation
the time when the first hum
of the bees is heard in the
trees. He finds all conditions
at that time most favorable,
and believes the pistil is then
in its most receptive state.
The instrument of pollena-
tion is the finger tip. Ap-
plied to the dusted surface
of ae plate, either by a mere touch
or a shght rubbing, enough pollen ad-
heres. The finger tip is then quickly
touched to the pistils of the prepared
blossoms one after another. They wel-
come the pollen and the fructifying
agency begins at once its journey to the
ovule. No matter what
comes now, on the wind or
otherwise. The opportunity
for outside pollen has
passed. The touch of the
finger has covered the stig-
ma with the chosen element
and sealed it safe from fur-
ther intrusion.

In his choice of
the unaided hand
as the instrument
of pollenation, Mr.
Burbank has not
only vastly simplified and
made more expeditious the
act of pollenation, but there

is also involved
Fait, OL the ude s8,ore profound tribute
small, sharp knife blade to the superiority
SE aa of the trained hand
in directness and delicacy for what lies
within its unaided scope. Recourse to
instruments and appliances is often es-

MM:

Before the petals open,

AND

bloom to:

ACHIEVEMENTS 25

sential, but, in many lines of human
effort, the ‘direct contact of the finger
tip works wonders impossible with in-

termediaries. It is an interesting re-
flection that when Nature’s direct
agencies, the bustling bees, are put to

flight, the human hand enters directly
for man’s specific purpose. Naturally,
particular skill is acquired by long prac-
tice, and some of Mr. Burbank’s most
trusted employes have done much of
this work for years.

The seed resulting from cross-pollen-
ated bloom is, of course, gathered with
great care; seedlings are grown, and the
closest watch is kept upon their char-
acters and habits from germination on-
ward. The little seedling may disclose
its combined parentage or give sign that
it has drawn up something from the pro-
found depths of the converging streams
of its remote ancestry, long before it
reaches blooming or fruiting stage.
Tokens which would escape the ordinary
observer become clear as milestones indi-

ENLARGED CROSS SECTION OF
AN OPEN FLOWER, SHOWING
THER PARTS REMOVED BY
THE KNIFR

cating the life courses

of the new plant to the
skilful propagator. The art of selec-
tion begins, then, early in the devel-
opment of the crossbred plants. Incalcu-
lable numbers of them may be destroyed
for their too evident adherence to the old
types, and only one or, perhaps, thou-
sands, be retained because they give
promise of breaking away from such
bondage. Whenever such selected seed-
lings are capable of budding or grafting
they are thus introduced to the “forcing
influence of old plants of the same class
and hurried to flower or fruit in this
well known way. A single old plant or
tree may thus force its sap into the cells
of hundreds of buds or grafts of new
varieties, and can be conceived to be as
surprised at the multitude of strange
forms and colors appearing on its old

26 1) TER TB WER eAGN Ke

branches as a mother
hen would be at hateh-
ing a brood of bluejays.
Upon the motley throng
of flowers or fruits thus
secured selection again
is exercised — selection
from all points of view

and toward ends still
far remote, because
desirable characters
or traits may be dis-
tributed through
many individuals.
They must be combined and concen-
trated. Cross pollenation, now, between
such individuals must be employed, and
from this new shuffling of the cards
another discriminating, patient effort
for arrangement into suits or sequences.
It is a stupendous game of solitaire
which the capable hybridizer plays among
the innumerable forms, colors, odors,
flavors, textures, growing, blooming and
fruiting habits, which surround him as
his reward for disturbing the natural or-
der of things in the plant world. Amid
this indefinite variety there must be in
his mind no confusion. He is wise if he
has had an object from the beginning—
a conception of something new and desir-
able, perhaps a definite combination of
objects to be attained. If he has a main
object, say a certain color in a flower, he

“ When Nature’s
direct agencies, the bustling
bees, are put to flight
(See page 25)

must pursue it
faithfully, seiz-
ing upon the
slightest trend
in that direc-
tion. No mat-
ter if the plant with that
precious endowment lacks
vigor, seize upon it still. In-
tensify the character de-
sired and add vigor or other
desirable qualities by later
crosses or still further selec-
tions. But it is possible to
develop these other qualities
in other sets of the same
plants, selecting each of the sets for a
different end and thus preparing for
combination later. While seeking any
object it is desirable to raise a multi-
tude of seedlings from the same cross,
to have a wider field in which to exer-
cise selection and to multiply the chances
of a fortunate appearance.

Take as illustration the group of
forms including one of Mr. Burbank’s
most popular recent creations, the
“Shasta Daisy.” It was built upon a
combination of the grace of the Japa-
nese, the tall, stiff stem and bold but
coarse flower of the European and the
whiteness and abundant bloom of the
American species. After the combina-
tion was effected size was secured by se-
lection, but the bloom was flat, with large
center; next, selection was made for
cup shape and superior whiteness; next,
to secure doubling of the petals and to
maintain size, and now a fully double
flower has been reached, of good size, but
not quite so large as the largest single
variety. This work included numerous
cross pollenations and the growing of
hundreds of thousands of seedlings, all
of which passed beneath the quick eye of
Mr. Burbank in the process of selection.

MAN, METHODS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

-

(From page 25)

—the human hand

enters directly for man’s
specific purpose

of
and

Another illustration
wide cross-breeding
combination is the new
plum, “Alhambra.” Upon
the French prune was used,
first, the pollen of a seed-
ling which resulted from crossing the
Kelsey with Pissardi, a bronze-leaved
branch of the Myrabolana species.
Upon the bloom of the offspring of
this cross was used the pollen of an-
other seedling grown from a cross of
Simoni and Triflora, and, upon this off-
spring, pollen from a cross of Americana
and Nigra. One of the seedlings from
this last cross yielded the fruit named
Alhambra, a large freestone with many
good points and notable as being the first
perfect freestone with Japanese blood. It
includes in its ancestry the blood of the
three great races of plums, European,
American and Japanese, and thirteen
years’ work are included in its building
up. The pedigree of Alhambra may be
graphically expressed as follows:

Kelsey Pissardi (Myrabolana) .
pL nea Prune.
Simoni x Triflora ln
c Americana x Nigra
Alhambra.

The letters, a, b, c, signify unnamed
cross-bred seedlings which are included
in the ancestry of the resultant Alham-
bra. Mr. Burbank has quite a number
of plums with six crosses in their pedi-
grees, the parents, In many cases, being
themselves the offspring of earlier
crosses. In the wide combinations thus
resulting selection has to deal with the

w
~

constant recurrence of
the botanical characters
which all the ancestry
contributes to the com-
plex offspring, these char-
acters often appearing so
clearly as to be easily recognized at a
glance, even by the most casual ob-
server.

This writing has probably already
wandered too far into the drouth of
technical discussion to interest the gen-
eral reader, and yet only a few hasty
outlines of methods haye been given. To
fill in these outlines with the shading
necessary to develop special features and
the perspective desirable to show the
mutual relations of the outlines would
require a volume.

Treatises on color and perspective can-

28 LUTHER BURBANK

PARTIAL VIEW OF BURBANK’S TRIAL GROUNDS AT SEBASTOPOL

not make artists. There is, beyond the
material and method, the creative brain,
which employs them in a way to excite
wonder and admiration. It is not other-
wise with Mr. Burbank’s methods. He
has no secrets which he recognizes and
euards as such. He has, of course, the
teachings of many years’ experience and
of observation keener, more penetrating
and more patiently pursued than any
other worker in his line can command.
He uses this endowment constantly and

it grows with use. It needs no safe-
guarding, for it cannot be stolen nor can
it be given away. It is non-transferable.
just as are the mental penetration and
grasp and the unflagging energy and in-
dustry which, using all these methods
and materials as creative imagination
conceives their suitability, is compassing
achievements which are new and grand,
both in science and horticulture. A
sketch of these achievements will be the
next undertaking in this series.

THE BEUTIFUL CUP-SHAPE AND DAZZLING WHITENESS OF THE SHASTA DAISY

THIRD PAPER—ACHIEVEMENTS |

fllustrations from photographs by William Shaw, Santa Rosa, California

E come now to the division of

these sketches of the hfe and

work of Luther Burbank which
will seem to many the most interesting
and important. What has the man, en-
dowed as has been claimed, and follow-
ing methods which have been outlined,
achieved for himself and for humanity?
Obviously, it is premature to ask this
question concerning one who is still so
young that 1t may be reasonably doubted
whether he has yet reached his greatest
wisdom and work; but what matters it.
if the present point of view be true, that
it command a beginning rather than an
ending? In fact, ‘there can be little more
accomplished within the necessary limits
of these sketches than to disclose a point
of view—possibly to slightly assist the
observer to occupy it—and then to trust
to his sight and discernment for appre-
ciation of relations and_ significance.
There is in the work of Mr. Burbank,
even at this point in his career, an array
of facts and a wealth of suggestion which
are almost overwhelming to one who has
head and heart for them.

California Dewberry

In the account given of his life it was
intimated that although he began as a
horticulturist and still remains an honor
to the guild, Mr. Burbank’s thought and
work have passed beyond even the high-
est levels of horticulture, known as hor-
ticultural science, into the domain of
science itself. To be judged, then, by
his peers, men of science, as well as hor-
ticulturists, must review his achieve-
ments through all coming years. Let us
realize in advance this method of the
future, by an appeal to one upon the side
of science, well acquainted both with the
dicta thereof and with the work of Mr.
Burbank to briefly characterize him and
his achievements. For this purpose per-
mission has been kindly granted to tran-
scribe from the manuscript notes of Dr.
W. J. V. Osterhout, assistant professor
of botany in the University of Califor-
nia, the following signi ficant sentences:

Mr. Burbank has become w idely known to
scientists by reason of the extraordinary in-
terest and value of his work. Untrammeled
by traditions, he has not hesitated to enter

fields which the scientifie worker would have
The value of his work in thus open-

ignored.

Siberian Raspberry

THE PRIMUS BERRY AND ITS PARENTS—THE FIRST RECORDED FIXED SPECIES PRODUCED BY THE
HAND OF MAN

30 LUTHER

BURBANK

The kernel is fully developed but naked; S
no hard substance intervenes between it and the pulp

ing up new possibilities and stimulating re-
search in these lines is immeasurable.

Not only for stimulus, but also for methods
of work, are we indebted to Mr. Burbank. A
botanist, who is known for his researches on
plant hybridization carried on during the
last twenty years, was quite incredulous
when told of Mr. Burbank’s methods of work.
After a visit to Santa Rosa, he confessed that
Mr. Burbank’s skill was well nigh incompre-
hensible, and that he had learned enough
during the brief visit to compensate him for
the journey from Europe.

Since the passing of the scientific dogma
of the fixity of species, the study of varia-
tion has come steadily to the fore. We wish
to know not only what variations occur natur-
ally, but what can be produced by various
artificial means. I know no better student of
variation in both aspects than Mr. Burbank.
Throughout a Jong series of years he has
been gathering plants from every quarter of
the globe. With patience akin to Darwan’s
he has familiarized himself with this great
store of material growing under his eyes. He
has succeeded, to an extraordinary degree, in
mastering the intricacies of variation in a
very wide range of plants. By observation
and intuitive insight he has gained wonder-
ful knowledge of the nature of these plants,
their possibilities and latent characters. As
a result of his labors we have, at Santa Rosa,
a laboratory for the study of variation on a
gantic scale and a magnificent array of
facts aud discoveries of great value to science.

The true scientist is not satisfied with de-

s; he wishes to reduce them to formule,
general laws which shall vitalize knowl-
edge and provide for future progress. Such
a one finds in Mr. Burbank a kindred spirit.
who seems to discover great laws by a flash
of genius, such is the swiftness of his intui-
tion. His thought is so fresh and unhack-
neyed that it is impossible to give an ade-
quate impression of its suggestive and vital-
izing quality. From his unbroken study of
Nature he comes with a word of authority
and power. In his ability to penetrate be-
hind the facts to the laws which make facts
significant he resembles Darwin, whose spirit
and method he exemplifies.

On the basis of this candid statement

STONEL

S PRUNES

from Dr. Osterhout, we can claim for
Mr. Burbank achievement in science

which will forever link his name with
those whom the world counts greatest in
the interpretation of Nature, and as
those only thus live who earn the right
by great deeds, his fame will always
stand witness to his service.

Having thus taken a sweeping glance
through other eyes at Mr. Burbank’s
achievements from the point of view of
science, the horticulturist returns to his
own standards of interest in them with-
out further reference to their value to
science. The scientific reader must de--
velop that aspect of the facts for him-
self. Even the facts themselves are so
varied and numerous that they defy enu-
meration, and a few generalizations,
some of which involve many years of
close effort on the part of Mr. Burbank,
are all that can be undertaken.

Let us look, first, at some general
characters of fruits which he has dem-
onstrated to be susceptible of striking
and valuable modifications, illustrating
by brief reference to specifie achieve-
ments.

1. Varieties have been secured which
are prolific where the older sorts have
proved unsatisfactory. The intermin-
gling of the native American and Japa-
nese species of plums, which has been a
leading line of Mr. Burbank’s work, has
made it possible to grow luscious fruit in
various regions of the United States
where the old species failed. Professor
Waugh of Vermont, speaks of the in-
creased production east of the Rocky
mountains as remarkable, and adds:
“The introduction of the hybrid plums

MAN, METHODS
marks an epoch in plum culture.”* And
he traces the opening of this epoch to the
introduction of two of Mr. Burbank’s
creations. In the south, both on the At-

-—the ennobling of the beach plum

lantic and Pacific sides of the country,
the Japanese species and its hybrids are
making plum growing successful where
the long- tried European varieties yielded
failure and disappointment. This is
strikingly the case in Southern Cali-
fornia.

Mr. Burbank is now working largely
on hardy varieties, and the effort will re-
sult in securing luscious fruits where at
present trying ‘conditions destroy all but
small and often ill-flavored wildlings. A
striking instance of this is found in work

*“Plums and Plum Culture,’ 1901, page 80.

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 51

now in progress in the ennobling of the
“heach plum’—prunus maritima. This
hardy savage never fails to bear every-
where and is thrifty under most trying
conditions of dry rocky or soggy, satur-
ated soil, and its fruit, which is not much
larger than a full-sized huckleberry, is
also utterly worthless for anything but
preserving: It blooms a month “after
other plums, but, by extra arrange-
ments, eastern and Japanese plums
were retarded so that their pollen held
its vitality to be used in uplifting this
dejected species. By many crosses it
was proved to be possible to retain
its wonderful productiveness, while
the lowly bush assumed better foli-
age, more upright form and fruit with
really good flavor, which, while about
as large as an ordinary eastern plum,
retains a seed as small as a cherry stone.
This group of new fruits has bright
colors, oval and round forms which
are never flattened and have no suture.
Most of the best varieties thus orig-
inated came, not from the first seed-
lings of the cross, but from seedlings of
them, or from the “second gener ration,”
as it is called in plant breeding. Many
thousands of selected third-generation
seedlings are being grafted this winter
(1902) for fruiting. These, by growth

PARTIAL VIEW OF MR. BURBANK’S TRIAL GROUNDS
—a laboratory for the study of variation on a gigantic scale

32 LUTHER
and foliage, readily show that still more
startling improvements have been pro-
duced.

The change in characters developed in
a California wild plum—prunus_ sub-
cordata—is also notable. Some varieties
have been secured which are twice the
size of the wild forms, greatly improved
in quality and matchless in beauty of
coloring. The plant is also of larger
growth and increased productiveness.

Another very important undertaking
in the line of developing hardiness in the
popular kinds of fruits hes in the direc-
tion of frost-resisting blossoms. Mr.
Burbank has selected a class of Japa-
nese-American hybrid plums which seem
to have iron-clad or steel-lined, frost-re-
sisting blossoms. He has watched them
in all stages of bloom during seasons of
the heaviest frosts, morning after morn-
ing, and eyen when the petals would be
frozen and brown the first morning and
the young leaves frozen at the tips, the
stamens and pistils would withstand all

BURBANK

the frosts and the trees afterward show
a full crop of fruit. This is, perhaps, an

observation neyer before recorded in
fruit culture.
2. Varieties have been produced

which, by early and late ripening, pro-
long the fruit season three or four
months. This has been done with plums,
as varieties have been originated which
ripen two or three weeks earlier than the
cherry plum, the old standard of earh-
ness, and others which do not reach ma-
turity until the holidays. The same
wide range is shown by Mr. Burbank’s
new grapes, descended from an Isabella
sport of California origin, known as
Isabella Regia. The parent is a large
black grape; its offspring are various in
colors and flavors. One is a white, seed-
less variety of exquisite flavor, which
ripens with the earliest of its class, and
another ripens for Christmas and New
Year's. These have been selected from
thousands of seedlings for their distine-
tive and startling characters.

The

pineapple quince, suggesting the characteristic flavor of its namesake

MAN,

=

METHODS AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 33

Crossing plums and apricots has yielded a distinctively new kind

of fruit which Mr.

Another phase of the effort for the ex-
tension of the fruit season is to secure
varieties with long-keeping qualities,
either on the tree or after gathering. Mr.
Burbank has seedlings of the Wickson
and other plums which will remain on
the tree in prime condition for use for
six to nine weeks in hot weather, when
many of the older varieties collapse as
soon as ripe.

Development of varieties with partic-
ular times of ripening has also received
due attention. The Sugar prune with
the full density of juice of the Prune
d’ Agen, twice its size and a month earlier
in ripening, is an achievement of world-
wide significance and in this condensed
account must stand as an exponent of
much other work in creating varieties to
meet definite needs in time of ripening.

3. Varieties have been produced
which show almost incredible precocity
in bearing fruit. Mr. Burbank has
reached such wonderful results in his
wide experimentation that he is con-
vineed that precocity can be bred into
all plums so that they will show fruit as
early as seedlings of herbaceous plants
like blackberries and strawberries. His
work for years has been in the line of en-
couraging this habit. by selection, and he
follows the practice of rejecting those
seedlings which do not fruit the second

Burbank fitly names the “plum-cot”

year after the grafting of their seedling
wood into older e»rowths—that is, the
third year from planting the seed. In
the same degree, perhaps, this precocity
can be developed in other hard-wood
fruiting plants. Mr. Burbank has had
chestnuts in fruit in eighteen months
from the time of the sprouting of the
seed, and the seedlings of these are found
generally to possess the same early bear-
ing habits.

4. Surprising changes in the natural
structure of fruits have been secured.
Perhaps the most notable is the elimina-
tion of the shell inclosing the kernel in
which are called stone fruits. Mr. Bur-
bank has a number of plum varieties of
this character which are called “stone-
less.” The kernel is fully developed but
naked—no hard substance intervenes be-
tween it and the pulp. To take up a
plum and bite through it without hesita-
tion requires education, so strong is the
conception of the danger involved; but
to bite freely and find the flavor en-
hanced by the nutty savor of the kernel
brings reward in the new sensation which
the palate experiences. This is particu-
larly the case with the stoneless prune.
The kernel of the French prune has,
after cooking, a delicious and unique
flavor. To combine the flavors of pulp
and kernel, to gain the nutritive proper-

34 LU Df HER VBR ByAGWN Kk

THR PEACH-ALMOND—A HYBRID OF WAGER PEACH AND LANGUEDOC ALMOND

ties of the latter and to escape the
tedium and awkwardness of ejecting the

stone, constitute an advance in prune
character and motive which it is diffi-

cult to overvalue. Mr. Burbank has done
this with the plum. There is every rea-
son to think that adequate skill and pa-
tience would do the same thing with all
stone fruits. Similar in kind would be
the removal of the shell from the almond
and walnut. Mr. Burbank is sure he
could do this in ten years if it were de-
sirable, but the protective function of a
thin shell on a nut might make the
change of no practical advantage.
5. The ranges of flavor and aroma in
several fruits have been enriched and
extended. The flavors which have, by
long experience, come to be regarded as
characteristic, can no longer be relied
upon, and the sense of taste alone has
become an unsafe guide in identification.
The Asiatic element has brought to the
new plums most novel characters in
flavor and fragrance which, by combina-
tion with the old, have wrought surpris-
ing effects. In fact, a new scale of these
characters must be made by careful ob-
servation and analysis. Mr. Burbank’s
Bartlett plum has the flavor and frag-
rance of the popular pear for which it is
named, and his Pineapple quince not
only suggests the characteristic flavor of
its namesake, but it suggests also the
apple by its tender flesh in both fresh
and cooked form. His Climax plum fills
a room with fragrance like that of the
pineapple, and in the same fruit striking
deliciousness of flavor shades down to an

after taste suggesting the banana, in
marked contrast to the acridity which, in
some plums, almost leads the palate to
regret preceding delight.

6. Radical changes i in form and color
have also wrought havoc with old forms
of speech. “Plum colored” and “plum
shaped” may live as the memory of an
old conception, but, judging by the wide
change in varieties chosen for planting,
they may soon pass beyond the possibility
of proof, for in color plums now add all
the shades of the cherry to their former

range of hues. In form they have en-
tered the domain of the apple and the
tomato and have inverted the conven-
tional form of the pear.

7%. The foregoing results have been
attained by selection and by crossing
within the limits of species and variety.
Still more surprising achievements have
been reached by crossing fruits which be-
longed to genera heretofore supposed to
be hedged ‘about by impassable barriers.
The crossing of plums and apricots has
yielded a distinctively new kind of fruit,
which Mr. Burbank fitly names “the
plum-cot,” and of which he has a num-
ber of varieties. All have the general
form and aspect of an apricot, but are
more highly colored than either a plum
or an apricot and have a skin uniquely
soft, with a silky down and a slight
bloom. The flesh in one variety is yel-
low, but some of them have deep crim-
son, pink and white flesh, and they are
both free and clingstone. The seed often
resembles a plum pit, but not always. A
rich line of flavors is developed which

MAN, METHODS
bid fair to be a surprise to fruit eaters.

While the group of plum-cots is, per-
haps, the most notable of the products of
crossing fruits of different botanical
genera, many other such crosses have
been suce essfully made, not always, how-
ever, with results of value from a hor-
ticultural point of view. While peach
and almond crosses always give good
bloom and fruit, the almond and plum
crosses haye only yielded monstrosities
in bloom, sometimes lacking stamens or
pistils or petals, and no fruit has been
secured. The peach and plum cross has
never resulted in fruit. The apricot and
Japanese plum cross is attended with
difficulty and the results seem dependent
upon varieties used. Seedlings from the
pear and apple cross never reach size,
and, so far, have never borne fruit. The
strawberry and raspberry cross, though
blooming profusely, never bears fruit,
while the black raspberry and dewberry
cross always dies when it blooms. On
the other hand, the blackberry and rasp-
berry crosses are usually good, and some
of those which have become popular, like
Phenomenal and Primus, are so fixed in
their type that they reproduce their com-
posite characters from seed with more
regularity than the accepted species of
rubus as found in nature.

Let the reader now find relief from
the categorical form of statement in the
story of an experiment in which the
achievement consisted in the les-
sons of a failure. About ten
years ago Mr. Burbank, having
fresh in mind the results in
crossing what are usually con-
sidered non-related forms (such
as we have mentioned and many
others like them) by the hun-
dreds of instances, began to
think that the limit of possi-
bility im crossing had hardly
been approached and decided to
prospect over a wide range. He
chose a plant for a seed parent
which would not intrude fruit
from its own self-fertilized
bloom. Such a plant is the na-
tive California dewberry. He
placed a plant in the middle of
a ten-acre lot, remote from
others of itsown kind,and found
that it bore no fruit except on

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 35

hand-pollinated blossoms. Here, then,
was a receptive plant in isolated situa-
tion, and he proceeded to treat the
blooms with pollen of apple, quince,
pear, cherry, hawthorn, Chinese quince,
strawberry and a few others of the ros-
acer, and kept record of fruits and seeds
of each berry obtained. He saved all
the seeds, planted them in one plot, and
secured over five thousand seedlings.
They were the strangest lot of plants
ever seen. About nine-tenths of them
grew shoots as smooth as an apple twig,
and the other tenth had short prickles.
Some had foliage like a raspberry, others
like a strawberry, and others single
leaves, like the apple or pear. The plants,
for the most part, assumed rather an
upright or tree-like form. What won-
derful novelties might be expected from
such plants! Disappointment dawned,
however, when it was found that a large
part gave no bloom, but those which
blossomed had flowers various in size and
in all shapes from deep pink to white.
Disappointment increased when only
two plants bore fruit. One was some-
what like a blackberry, but larger, with

OND OF MR. BURBANK’S HYBRID BLACKBERRIES

36 LUTHER

GROWN IN CALIFORNIA,
FROM AN EASTERN VARIETY

IMPROVED BLUEBERRY

a unique flavor and pale color; the other,
of a similar general appearance but more
nearly globular, was of a dark mulberry
color. Disappointment culminated when
the closest scrutiny showed that neither
of the fruits had any seeds. Observation
of the growth seemed to indicate that
some startling crosses had been secured,
but as there was no seed from which sec-
ond generation revelations could be
gained and no fruit which promised to
be of horticultural value, the ground was
cleared and the cost of the large experi-
ment charged to the experience account.
This account runs into many figures,
but the result is wisdom. In one year
Mr. Burbank burned up sixty-five thou-
sand two and three year old hybrid seed-
ling berry bushes in one grand bonfire,
and had fourteen other grand bonfires
of similar size on his place the same sum-

mer. Just after fruiting time the un-
worthy are destroyed, and it is not

strange that Mr. Burbank should be
known to some of his wondering neigh-
bors as “the man who used to have a
big nursery, but now raises acres and
acres of stuff and every summer has it
all dug up and burned.”

BURB

ANK

Quite in contrast with the foregoing
is the record of achievement with the
flowering currant of the Pacific coast
(Ribes-sanguineum), which is quite
popular abroad as an ornamental plant.
Mr. Burbank considered it susceptible of
improvement. To start with the hard-
iest form, he secured plants from far up
the coast, in British Columbia, and gave
it the opportunity to respond
to generous care and cultiva-
tion. He soon found varia-
tion upon which to practice
selection, and in this way
secured larger size and more brilliant
color of bloom. He noticed also that
the plant was disposed to show varia-
tion from the scantily borne, small
fruit full of large, angular seeds, and
so deficient in pulp that distinctive
flavor could hardly be discerned. Un-
der selection and cultivation there
came, in unusually long clusters, large
handsome blackberries so covered with
dense bloom as to appear white when
ripe, with lessened toughness of skin,
fewer and smaller seeds, great increase
of pulp and improvement of flavor. Thus
the same series of careful selections has
yielded strikingly better flowers and
fruits of both earlier and later ripening
and borne on more sturdy and compact
bushes. Other generations of the plant
will be grown before introduction to the
public. In addition to these results by
selection a cross has been secured be-
tween the foregoing and another native
currant from near San Francisco (Ribes
sanguineum var. glutinosum). The vast
number of seedlings secured vary ex-
ceedingly, and there is promise of unique
and valuable new fruit—in fact, it would
not be surprising to attain size and qual-
ity of fruit, beauty of bloom and strong
growth, all superior to any currant now
in cultivation.

Another satisfactory excursion into
the unknown is found in Mr. Burbank’s
plum and cherry crossing. This cross
is readily made, and fruit is borne abun-
dantly. A decidedly new element was
introduced by having the evergreen cher-
ries of the Pacific coast, both the local
species, Prunus illicifolia, and a Mexican
species. These have been found to cross
readily both with deciduous cherries and
with plums. Fruits of this ancestry are

MAN, METHODS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 37

still under trial, and are promising.

The cherry-like fruits of the eleeagnus
are also being brought forward into truer
cherry character. ‘The bush has been
cleared of its thorns, its form improved
and its vigor increased. The main pur-
pose, to enlarge and improve the quality
of the fruit, which is produced in sur-
prising abundance, has also been at-
tained to a notable degree. There is a
prospect that it may be as good as a
cherry.

Though Mr. Burbank has made and
named a few peaches of unique and es-
timable characters, he has as yet, in that
direction, only looked into a field of won-
derful novelty and richness. He has
crossed peaches and nectarines as far as
the fifth combination, and has secured
fine fruit, but not superior to that which
exists in the varieties separately. He
has, however, demonstrated that in the
second and third generations there is a
wonderful tendency toward new forms;
white peach seedlings have borne yellow-
fleshed nectarines with deep crimson
skin, while white and red nectarines have
borne white peaches in great variety in
appearance, character and season of rip-
ening.

Pears and apples have yielded less
notable results than other fruits. With
great patience for eight years apple
seedlings were grown, the seeds of each
variety separately, and the seedlings
afterward grafted into separate trees.
About half the cases showed crossing,
half did not. The second generation did
not show promising variation. Apples
are by nature very variable, with a strong
tendency to revert to wild forms. Mr.
Burbank believes they can be bred into
classes according to season, color or other
character, but they do not show the plas-
ticity under breeding that other fruits
do, and do not offer such desirable in-
dividual traits to the process of selec-
tion.

In this sketch reference has been
chiefly restricted to the commoner kinds
of fruit as embodying the widest interest
to the reader. Almost innumerable
growths of obscurer origin and less re-
pute are being carried along similar lines
of ennoblement, which may lead them to
eminence and great service to humanity.
But the whole range of food plants con-
stitutes only half of Mr. Burbank’s
sphere of activity. His achievements
with flowers will next receive attention.

FOURTH PAPER ACHIEVEMENTS

Illustrations from photographs by William Shaw, Santa Rosa, California

R. BURBANK’S achievements
with flowers, which, from a hor-

_ ticultural point of view, must be
regarded as a wonderful elevation and
ennoblement of floral growth, are a dem-
onstration of the breadth of the man. He
has done more than any other man ever
did with fruits,and to this must be added
achievements greater than can be con-
ceded to any other man with flowers.
Others have accomplished wonders with
a single fruit or flower, or with small
groups of each or of both, but in his
breadth Mr. Burbank stands alone. That
he could thus extend his effort and still
retain the marvelous penetration which
has enabled him to bring from profound-
est depths wonders undreamed of by

others, may seem somewhat at enmity
with the modern claim that close special-
ization is the secret of depth in work.
But really there is no contradiction. Mr.
Burbank’s close specialization consists in
his conception of Nature as simple in
plan and principle and in his application
of methods which embody the few prin-
ciples which he descries. In this respect
he is a most rigid specialist and the fact
that he uses hundreds of kinds of plants
and millions of individual plants does
not militate against the wonderful con-
centration of his mind upon the simple,
but profound phenomena which unfold
under his eye and hand. That he can do
this; that he can recognize and employ
innumerable manifestations in the pur-

LUTHER BURBANK

oo
5

Evidently, then, Mr. Bur-
bank lacks not full apprecia-
tion of the esthetical and eth-
ical influence of natural beauty
and though our space limits
will require us to discuss his
floral achievements from other
points of view, it will be com-
forting to remember that love
incites his devotion to the en-
noblement of flowers and light-
ens his labors.

Mr. Burbank began his work
with flowers in his old home in
Massachusetts. At first he
used the seedsmen’s collections,
testing, selecting and crossing
them. He began growing east
ern wild flowers to gain “bether
acquaintance with them. Soon
after arrival in California in
1875, he began collecting seed
of native plants for foreign
patrons and this necessitated a

SD a GA close study of the plants, their

times of blooming, ete. To his

suit of his special purposes is wonder- perceptions thus sharpened there came

ful because it is only possible

through the possession of rare

mental endowment and eXCey -

tional industry, lighted and
brightened by ‘enthusiasm.

Is aught more required for
achievements with flowers?
Yes, indeed; the common mind
will not accept insight and in-
dustry as adequate equipment
for true work with flowers. One
must have sentiment rich, free
and impulsive. Ardent love of
flowers 1s a prerequisite to all
cultural suecess. That Mr.
Burbank is not lacking in de-
votion, let his own words de-
clare:

“Who does not love flowers ?
For whom will not flowers
make more sunshine? Fowers
from the hand of a loved one
what sweeter, sunnier gift can
be thought of 2? Flowers speak
to us of poetry, music, life and
love. Flowers always make
people better, happierand more
hopeful; they are sunshine, :
food and medicine to the soul.” HYBRID LILY, SHOWING PROLIFIC BLOOMING HABIT

MAN, METHODS

impressions of marvelous tendency
toward variation in Califorma. Strik-
ing differences appeared in the same
species grown under different condi-
tions of soil and clmate; almost in-
credible differences, though the locali-
ties were not far distant from each other.
This observation not only suggested lines
of effort, but furnished incentive and en-
couragement beyond anything he had ex-
perienced at the east. Early also in Mr.
Burbank’s experience there came the
thought to improve the popular garden
flowers, to enhance their charms and at-
tractiveness and to render them more
serviceable for various purposes. This
work faithfully pursued for a quarter of
a century has produced results which are

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 39

now recognized in all parts of the world,
and so varied that brief writing cannot
fully enumerate them, much less compass
any adequate characterization. The at-
tempt must be made to convey striking
facts concerning blooming plants which
are best known to the general reader and
for this reason most widely interesting.

One of the garden plants which Mr.
Burbank first took in hand was the glad-
lolus, which has long been a popular
flower in California, but it had obvious
defects; the stem was wind-whipped be-
cause of its length and lank because
thinly set with florets. Their petals, too,
were so scant in substance that they lost
form and color in the face of the hot sun,
the long spike becoming unsightly below,

A NEW HYBRID AMARYLLIS—FIVE-EIGHTHS NATURAL SIZE

40 LUTHER BURBANK

while still newer bloom was expanding
above. Mr. Burbank used the ganda-
vensis, a Belgie hybrid, for his founda-
tion, and added later several species from
South Africa. After working ten years
with perhaps a million seedlings, select-
ing first for endurance of sunheat and
wind, then for more colors and for clear-
ness, novelty and distinctiveness of hue,
and then for more compactness of bloom
upon the spike, he reached a variety
which set florets with lasting petals all
around the spike like a hyacinth and not
the single, flat, side-bloom of the old
forms, and the first of this type was pa-
triotically named “California.” Selected
seedlings gave more of this improved
type of bloom with better lasting quali-
ties, and more surprising shades and
with petal-substance thick and lasting so
that, to use Mr. Burbank’s own appre-
ciative words:

“The first flower remains fresh to say
good morning to the very last one to
bloom, even though the sun may be doing
its best; none of the older varieties can
stand such a test.”

That was in 1893, and soon afterward
the whole gladiolus stock found an ap-
preciative purchaser in Mr. H. H. Groff,
the leading American specialist in that
line, whose knowledge of Mr. Burbank’s
achievement with his favorite plant is
outspoken. He says:

*“This colle tion is the best strain of
gandavensis :* several with spe-
cially stiff petals quite distinct from or-
dinary types; the peculiarity of the flow-
ers blooming around the spike like the
hyacinth was also his contribution * *
the vitality of the Burbank strain is re-
markable * * greater than that of
all the other strains of so-called Amer-
ican hybrids which constitute the prin-
cipal stocks of commerce on this con-
tinent.”

Nor does America constitute their field
of victory; they are displacing other
strains in other parts of the world.

In the ennoblement of the amaryllis
his achievements are not only notable in
themselves, but they illustrate well how
in his work Mr. Burbank looks upon his
own efforts from all points of view and
endeavors to meet all considerations. He

F *H. H. Groff, in Cyclopedia of American Hor-
ticulture, page 647.

began very early with the amaryllis, when
he was, in fact, too poor to buy bulbs, so
he took seed from all sources for a start.
Later he bought bulbs, paying as high as
five dollars each in some cases. ‘Thus,
with seedlings of his own and with pur-
chased bulbs, he proceeded for ten years,
crossing in a small way and selecting
seed from the best types of flowers alone.
As his materials multiplied his aims ex-
tended; he worked for more abundant
bloom and secured more flowers to the
scape and more scapes from the bulb;
then he sought more rapid multiplication
of bulbs and off-sets and greater precocity
in bloom. This was a more protracted
effort. Some bulbs at first gave five or
six new bulbs each year and they were
slow to change this habit. It was about
fourteen years before they took freely to
the expansion doctrine, but now Mr. Bur-
bank’s trial plots show, in some cases, ten
to fourteen large blooming bulbs and
several off-sets each season around the
old bulb. At the same time the old bulbs
have increased in size so that it is com-
mon to find them from two to six times
as large as in the older varieties. The
plants also produce seed which give
bloom at half the age of seedlings of the
old types and the blooming season is also
extended so that flowers can be had
nearly through the long California swm-
mer.

Of the flowers themselves words fail
to describe the forms and shades which
are appearing. In size they are grand—
eight to ten inches in diameter is the
measurement of some of the best single
flowers; the petals are very broad and
overlapping, so that a very solid bloom is
produced. The coloring at this period of
their development is fully equal to any
amaryllis known, the general form and
size are all that can be desired. Vigor
has been secured which not only is in-
volved in the size, rapidity of multiplica-
tion, large scapes and thick petals which
have been mentioned, but gives the plants
a strong constitution which resists par-
asitic attacks. This vigor is also a strong
foundation upon which the selection now
in hand will proceed. The colors now
prevalent are solid crimson or nearly
pure white or wonderful combinations in
stripes of crimson, pink and white. Now
comes the selection for clearness of color
and markings. In short, Mr. Burbank

MAN,

A NEW TYPE OF BELL-SHAPED CLEMATIS—
THREE-FOURTHS NATURAL SIZB

has his amaryllis highly and deeply edu-
cated, but he will still add graces which
will make them irresistible in the eyes of
the connoisseur.

With this ambition for one of his fa-
vorite creations, however, their originator
longs to have these new forms clustered
around the cottage, as well as displayed
upon the broad lawns of the mansion. To
this end, the greater rapidity in the mul-
tiplication of the bulb is a most import-
ant contribution, for the prices now pre-
vailing among florists for bulbs will be
in time proportionally reduced. This
achievement with the amaryllis shows
well, as suggested above, how highly
esthetic, sharply commercial and broadly
humane considerations all unite in Mr.
Burbank’s work and demonstrate his pos-
session of what is a puzzle to the world
today—the up-to-date American spirit.

Closely allied to the amaryllis and in-
terwoven with it in Mr. Burbank’s work
is the crinum, a grand flower, chiefly dis-

METHODS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 41

tinguishable from the amaryllis by its
longer perianth tube. The crinums are
chiefly grown under glass, for the hardy
species in northern climates are few. Mr.
Burbank wisely conceived California con-
ditions to be most favorable for uniting
the charms of the greenhouse species
with the hardiness of the open-air species
to lead forth new forms which could be
taught to endure garden exposures. At
first he took up the training of his hardy
parentage, choosing the Florida swamp
lily (ermum Americanum) and for sev-
eral years selected the finest seedlings
that they might be best prepared for the
high alliance he proposed for them. This
estimable wildling of the Florida swamps
and gardens showed that care, culture
and selection would notably improve its
growth, habit and bloom. Simultane-
ously Mr. Burbank had growing in his
greenhouse all the tender crinums he
could secure, studying their different
forms, colors and fragrance. Upon the
bloom of the best hardy plants in the
open air he used the pollen from the
greenhouse varieties and splendid results
were reached. Most beautiful flowers,
improved in size and waxy whiteness, in
breadth of petals and in fragrarce ap-
peared in large numbers upon stronger
and more upright scapes and, best of all
as events proved, the new: ones were
hardy in the open air in alifornia. The
achievement in view was complished.
Having thus carried ~” amaryllis and
the crinum along simila: lines of im-
provement, each by itself, a cross of the
two was undertaken with strikingly sat-
isfactory results. The crinum was pol-
lenated with amaryllis belladonna and a
true hybrid was secured with bloom rang-
ing from pure white to deep rose, inclin-
ing to crimson. The flowering is not so
abundant as with the improved crinums,
but the multiplication of the bulbs is
very rapid. The hybrid shows its parent-
age in a very notable way in the form
and arrangement of its leaves. The
leaves of belladonna rise from the earth
with rounded ends and flattened against
each other like plates; crinum leaves
clasp each other and are long and
pointed. The hybrid has leaves with
pointed ends, but with the upper parts,
down to where they cluster, flat; then
there is an off-set which clasps around
like a crinum, giving the plant a very

42 LUTHER
pecuhar appearance, especially when
grown in the greenhouse. The bulbs

have necks like crinums, while still re-
sembling in some respects the bella-
donnas. Thus the hybrid presents a
very interesting association of the sev-
eral characters of its parentage.

The splendid open-air growth of the
calla in California, coupled with the
memory of the affection which eastern
people have for it as a house plant, in-
duced Mr. Burbank to take it up very
soon after coming to this state and he
put much effort upon it, both by selec-
tion and by crossing many species to se-
cure combination of characters, as well
as striking originality. He proceeded
first by selection and grew many thou-
sands of seedlings of the several forms
of the common calla (Richardia Afri-
cana) securing varieties ranging all the
way from giant to dwarf, the most im-
portant named variety resulting was
“Fragrance,” which exhaled a pleasing
perfume, while other callas usually are
destitute of odors save those suggesting
dankishness. It is a semi-dwarf variety
and has become generally recognized
among eastern florists as the most free
blooming of all its group of calla va-
rieties. Mr. Burbank has also raised
thousands of seedlings of the spotted
calla (albo-maculata), one of the most
striking results being a variety which has
not only spots, but broad stripes of yel-
low and white.

All these were, however, simple as
compared with the grand combination
of characters involved in the hybridiza-
tion of several species, viz.: Hastata, the
yellow “Pride of the Congo”; Ellot-

tiana, rich, dark yellow with spotted
leaves; Pentlandii, also rich yellow
with dark purple spot; Rehmanni,

pink without and rose-purple with crim-
son spot within; Nelsoni, small, pale
yellow and purple. Out of this wide
crossing came “Lemon Giant,” as a prod-
uct of albo-maculata and hastata, while
from the many crosses of the others
named, various combinations have re-
sulted which show many curious forms
and almost startling flowers. Long
hairy leaves, shades of purple, green and
white on leaf stalks and leaves—color
effects not existing on any cultivated
plant. Some of the hybrids make bulbs

BURBANK

eight to ten inches across and six to eight
pounds in weight and show leaves and
flowers of proportionate vigor. ‘The best
of the old yellows are difficult to raise
under ordinary conditions. Mr. Bur-
bank has worked to get fine flowers and
foliage and ease of growth. He has se-
lected about twenty varieties with these
characters, but as the most striking forms
and qualities come from the second and
third generations of seedlings after a
cross, he is still continuing his effort with
expectation of even more remarkable re-
sults.

Mr. Burbank’s success with the canna
is illustrative of the fact that he can se-
cure notable improvements with flowers
which have been greatly developed by
others. The modern cannas of dwarf
habit and magnificent bloom include the
French or Crozy type and the Italian or
orchid-flowered type, and striking im-
provement of them gained by the “addi-
tion of the native American canna flac-
cida to the foreign blood. Mr. Burbank
was early in this work and secured strik-
ing results, some of which have become
famous. The “Burbank” canna, named
by the Chicago florist, J. C. Vaughan,
who secured the stock, now appears every-
where in eastern catalogues as bearing
“oiant orchid-hke flowers, the upper pet.
als measuring fully seven inches across,
a rich canary yellow with carmine spots.”
But the latest and widest distinction be-
longs to the “Tarrytown,” introduced by

R. Pierson of the stopping place on
the Hudson, whose name the flower bears.
Space does not admit more than a sug-
gestion of the glories of this California
achievement. The critics say:

“No variety approaches it for display
* * it shows six times as many flowers
for the same space as any other variety
* * the flowers which are an exceed-
ingly brilliant carmine-crimson, have de-
cidedly more substance than any other
variety and last for an unusually long
time * * it is as much ahead of all
other cannas today for bedding as Mme.
Crozy was ahead of all at the time of its
introduction.” At the Pan-American ex-
position, Mr. William Scott, in charge of
floriculture, said: ‘There has never ‘been
a bed in the country with as much bloom
as Tarrytown had.”

Soon after he began with cannas Mr.

GLADIOLUS “CALIFORNIA”—FIRST VARIPTY WITH FLOWERS ENCLOSING THE STEM

44 LUTHER BURBANK

Burbank took up tigridias, working for
size of flower and bulband vigor of plant,
and crossing to secure new colors which
would endure sunshine. He has obtained
wonderful striped, lined and flaked va-
rieties which are new and have been well
received. Ten or twelve years’ work with
dahlias, including the popular cactus-
flowered type, has resulted in achieve-
ments not yet ready for announcement.

Though in the floral department of his
work Mr. Burbank has apparently given
greater attention to herbaceous than to
woody plants, he lacks not achievement
in the latter class. Of roses he has flow-
ered ten to fifteen thousand seedlings,
out of which three worthy varieties have
been introduced. By using the hardy
Hermosa as a joint parent with the tea
roses he has secured varieties popular at

ONE OF THN THOUSAND HYBRID SEEDLING LILIES

MAN, METHODS
the east because hardy, where
the teas fail.

Mr. Burbank has produced
a new race of bell-shaped cle-
matis with broadly bell-shaped
flowers exquisitely frosted and
with blending of colors and
shadings not found elsewhere
in the clematis family. With
the double clematis of the
Jackmani and Lanuginosa
types he has reached brilliant
results. The clematis experts,
Jackson and Perkins, in writ-
ing for the Cyclopedia of
American Horticulture, men-
tion the “Duchess of Edin-
burgh” as about the most de-
sirable and best known in this
country, but add: “The Snow-
drift, by Luther Burbank,
promises to excel it in both
floriferousness and vigor of
growth.”

In this connection mention may be
made of the columbines because Mr. Bur-
bank has succeeded in making them so
nearly like clematis that he calls his new
race aquilegia clematidea. They are of
immense size, even to three inches in
diameter of bloom, and are very striking
in that the backward extension of the
petals into spurs has been completely
suppressed. As it has been usual to
classify aquilegia species upon the length
and form of the spurs, these curtailed
flowers must have a new class.

It is manifestly impossible to make
even a complete suggestion of Mr. Bur-
bank’s work with flowers. The group of
which the Shasta daisy was only a fore-
runner must be passed with reference to
earlier mention of its origin and char-
acter given in Sunser for February,
1902. Other chrysanthemum-daisies are
in training. Larger size, perpetual bloom-
ing and ease of propagation are being se-
cured. Colors will be multiplied. The
lemon yellow now secured will be carried
to other yellows. The pink, which is just
disclosing itself, will be deepened to red.
Other wild species of chrysanthemum
from other continents are being worked
into the strain and results cannot even be
prophesied. Whether one shall put a
daisy in one’s hat or put one’s hat under
a daisy is a question of the future.

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS 45

NEW DOUBLE GLADIOLUS—THREEK-FOURTHS NATURAL SIZH

Perhaps no more interesting communi-
cation can be made than that Mr. Bur-
bank is now giving a leading share of his
time to the systematic elevation of Cali-
fornia wild flowers. He began that way,
as stated, but he turned aside a little to
work the wonders with exotics which
have been mentioned, without, however,
forsaking the beauties which so interested
and charmed him when he came to this
state. For example, he has never failed
to remember the lilies. He found at first
that the California tiger lily (Pardali-
num) had nearly as many differences as
it had locations and then there are so
many other lilies native and foreign.
Cultivation, selection, hybridization, in-
troduction of foreign blood and then se-
lection again, then second and third gen-
eration seedlings and selection again, un-
til all the known lilies of the world had
brought their ancestral characters to the
enrichment of his working collection and
it did seem at one time that the lilies
must need show their gratitude by bloom-
ing over his resting place, for what man
can safely add the study of half a million
seedling hybrid lilies to his other occu-
pations? Lily growers from all the world
have stood dazed—intoxicated with the
marvels of beauty and the perfumes of
this acreage of new lilies in full bloom.

But Mr. Burbank quietly pursued his
even course through this bewildering un-

AQUILEGIA CLEMATIDEA—MR. BURBANK’S NEW CLASS OF COLUMBINES, WITH CLEMATIS-LIKB
FLOWERS (ABOUT ONE-FOURTH NATURAL SIZE)

MAN, METHODS

dertaking. From fifty to one hundred of
the half million were selected and the
rest destroyed. These are now being
grown under the supervision of Mr. Carl
Purdy, who knows the lily in all its
haunts and in all its whims, and the end
is to come in time. It will be a floral rey-
elation to say the least of it. There will
be selected types—several of them. There
will be flower stems all the way from one
foot to nine or ten feet high, thickly set
with bloom and forms and shades widely
various, and all of them perfumed and
easily grown. There may be in each type
something to merit what Miss Alice
Eastwood of the California Academy of
Sciences said of a cross of Humboldtii
and Parryi: “It is the best lily in the
world.” Miss Eastwood could not help
talking just like other people when her
love of the beautiful overcame her scien-
tifie reserve. But what else could any
one say of a grand pale lemon-yellow
lily, shaped like one of the new amaryl-
lises with large, flat, shghtly revoluted
petals, pure in color, exquisite in form,
grand in size and rich in perfume? But
the lilies overpower us.

But what do we gain by flying from
them to contemplate the glories which
are coming to the brodiwas, these pro-
fuse beauties of the California spring-
time? Mr. Burbank has been long grow-
ing seedlings from the best-selected
plants. He has already secured blooms
from four to six times as large as com-
monly found in nature. He has a white
brodizea with great keeping quality, hold-
ing its goodness a month in water as a
cut flower. He has bulbs as large as an
inch and a half, sending three or four
bloom stalks instead of one or two as in
nature. He has new forms of the flower
appearing and is getting ready for cross-
ing and reselection which promise strik-
ing results. Similar improvements are
being achieved with a host of California
wild flowers. Some of them are already
popular abroad, either in the greenhouse
or for summer bedding. To present al-
ready popular plants in vastly improved
form is to meet a warm welcome. Highly
esteemed then as California native plants
are, Mr. Burbank will add to their hon-
ors and distinctions. Much of his time

AND

ACHIEVEMENTS AT

in the immediate future will be given to
this effort.

It is not possible in this connection
even to list the plants now in his school,
but the way he selects his pupils is too
significant to pass over. It is his custom
to. roam the fields wherever a certain
flower grows naturally, looking closely
into the faces of all blooms and taking
note of the growth, habit and vigor of in-
dividual plants. He does this slowly and
carefully, sometimes passing half a day
on half an acre in such comparative study
until he decides upon the most perfect
plant of the kind which nature has pro-
duced in that locality. If it does not
show seed at that moment, the plant is
taken up if the flowers are well ad-
yanced, for seeds will often mature with
the impulse remaining in the drying
plant. If this is not likely the plant is
marked and revisited later. Whatever is
best to do to get the seed from this best
of all wild individuals is undertaken and
from this seed the first class of freshmen
is brought into his floral college. This
selection for a start is half the battle,
whether it be for vigor or for tendency
toward desirable variation or for other
reason.

And then how gentle is his care and
culture for the promising pupils and how
sharp his punishment for the laggards—
for such the death penalty. The former
cannot be better described than in his
own words, which serve also as mention
of his achievement with one of our most
popular wild flowers:

“We say to our Miss Golden Cup or
Miss Eschscholtzia, as the bon ton call
her, ‘This beautiful dress of bright gold-
en hue which you have always worn on
all occasions is very becoming to you, and
exceedingly appropriate to this land of
perpetual sunshine, but, Miss Queen
Golden Cup, if you will sometimes adorn
yourself with a dress of white, pale
cream, pink or crimson we could love you
still better than we do.’ Now, Miss Esch-
scholtzia, though having her family tastes
and characteristics very thoroughly fixed,
still belongs to the great Papaver race,
which has often shown itself willing to
adapt itself to the discipline of new con-
ditions, even at first distasteful in the
extreme. So, after taking Miss Golden

48 LUTHER BURBANK

Cup into our gardens and constantly
making these suggestions to her, she hes-
itatingly consents to don a dress a shade
lighter in color, and then lighter still,
until now we have her not only in dresses
of gold, but in deepest orange, light and
dark shades of cream, purest snowy
white, or all these combined, and by con-
stant selection and various educational
influences in this line she will adorn
herself in a dress of almost any color
which may be desirable and at the same

time seems to take the greatest pleasure
in improving herself in every grace of
form and feature.”

Here, then, for the present the reader
takes leave of Mr. Burbank and his work.
It is fittmg that we should withdraw
while the state flower of California

sheds its charming radiance about him,
for no man more déyotedly loves the
land of his adoption and there is none
whom
honor.

Califormans delight more to

THE BURBANK CANNA—THREE-FOURTHS NATURAL SIZE

SOUTHERN PACIFIC

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GAUBAN V& CO... 0.5. eel General Agents
HERMOSILLO, SONORA
Fah, (CFS) 010) OER ae a eats Cho ANE Agent

HOUSTON, TEX.
M. L. ROBBINS.Gen. Pass. and Ticket Agent

KANSAS CITY, ao: —1000 Main Street
PE GR AL AL UL CRRA eioinicnoinie aac General Agent

KEY WEST, PEA.

(uN VELEN a C010 Pvp ETD ac EDD Heat Agents
pyc, ENG.—25 Water Street
VSL UR DO Sh WF ON CORR General Huropean Agent

LONDON, ENG.—
49 Leadenhall St. 18 Cockspur Street
TPA UPD) TOA By Qs QRS » ral Huropean Agent

. LOS ANGELES, VAU.— 26" “ontA ~ATiug« ire t
G. A. PARK* f q a
MARYSVILLE
Ree Eh WV Oe tetas o\ shoves acannon fos eos Agent
ee MEX.
Net GEBSON seis le ven. Commercial Agent

aa ‘YORK, N.Y
349 Broadway, nae 1 Battery Place

L. H. NUTTIN
RUS SPENCE.

NEW peta ead rant

Gen. Eastern Freight ‘Agent

BP SY DNCGRKEHRG 00.6: Ass’t Gen. Pass. Agent
NOGALES, ARIZ.
TEC TO RDIWAING 2 o/s (eta a AMUN cnc Agent

ne CAL.—468 Tenth Street
G. T. FORSYTH, Diy. Pass. and Freight Agent
oapEN, Seas:

HNRY2 Aves se .........Ticket Agent |

W. ti. OHEVERS SPAS A oe aa Freight Agent

RawGuste YN, VAL,
D.

. Gen. Hastern Pass. Agent’

Ae dara rae
PASO ones CAL.

HOMWLAHOUSTONG sere cie seis: Agent
PHILADELPHIA PA.—109 South Third Street
J. ATSELE TEE A NA YR AL Agent
PHOENIX, SE,
NW OM BLCKN EL ysnnaretn aaa nelaee Agent

PITTSBURG, PA.—515 Park Building
G. G. ee ENG? aoa eh nie General Agent
POMONA, CA ;
A SRAVIS BAYS booed Commercial Agent
PORTLAND, OR.
Vv. BH. COMAN, General
Lines in Oregon

alae CAL.

Passenger Agent,

MANSY PIVIVACER IU LIN| Seay. ciletwinva)oe +: SamnY elminiiapey = Agent
REDLANDS, fee
AEE Won onaneicooe:. : MMR Ho bid Agent
REN al
ap Onn FULTON.......Diy. Pass. » 1 Fgt. Agent
RIVERSIDE, CAL. ;
Se ekeetelaialtaleyershs Con. ercial Agent
ROTTERDAM, NETH, —92 Wynha: 1,5.8.
Ale extehoes Generall opean Agent

SACRAMENTO, Cal
C. J. JONES.

SALEM, OR.
WM. MERRIMAN. ..Freight i

SALT LAKE rege UTAH—201 ™

"Diy. Pass. ap reight Agent

Cicket Agent
Street

yey ra GRADY ick ataleretsy a feltsl'c)ie@ mneral Agent
SAN pencil TEX.
J. McCMILLAN...... Division enger Agent

SAN BERNARDINO, CAL.
FRANK DONNATIN ......-

oto aE ore —901 Fifth Be

ercial Agent

Street
meral Agent

ge ee, CAL.—613 eae

Ga W. Puerca BR

AGES IMIVAINUN era opatovolehavesaVerarell Cicket Agent

W. IGMURRAY. . Agent Infoi tion Bureau
SAN JOSE, CAL.—16 South First & eet

PAUL SHOUP. .Div. Pass. and eight Agent
srk LUIS OBISPO, CAL.

Bae WHITMER Paosidaidaues ©
SAN LUIS POTOSI, MEX.

EDO. SADA....Tray. Pass. and
SANTA BARBARA. CAL.

B®. SHILLINGSBURG ...

SANTA CRUZ, seit

‘eight Agent

.Commercial Agent

TWEE Eee erucin eh: aie Agent
SANTA MONICA, CAT.
TAS Ws MGR? 0) IRS Ss Bla otateen | | caters Agent

SEATTLE, WAS 18, First Ave,
TOME PULLS idee oe neral Agent

{nor MO, lank 4

neral Agent

ESSER C WAV Cena hs At On as Agent
SYRACUSE, N. Y¥.—129 South Franklin Street
K. T) BROOKS. -. 2)... - New York State Agent

TACOMA, WASH.—1108 Pacific Avenue
MOLI OMU LUD) SLED ARGS aobeebaee alae Agent
Be ar ARIZ.
. M. BURKHALTER. Div. Pass. and Fet. Agt.

TULARE, CAL.
CIN EWE Er 0) s ara\a.a/s (ate ieta eceieinierd Agent

clare CAL.
WISN) J. CA TUDROMN ee oi) os 0 cicieie ia Agent

WASHINGTON, D. C.—511 Penn. Avenue

A. J. POSTON.Gen. Agent, Sunset Excursions
yee CAL.

MEAD NEO RUBE SCH a tes lege cic Satay eet geass Agent

y Descriptive literature regarding the territory traversed by Southern Pacific Company lines, and
information concerning tickets, routes of travel, sleeping car accommodations, etc., can be obtained on
application, by letter or in person, to any agent of the Southern Pacific.

.

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