The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-06-30
Luther Burbank's Way.

a NOIutllui
ter in the horticultural world. He has
made long enduring name for himself.
He is remarkable man in more ways
than one, and just now his achievements
are discussed and commented upon by
the press and magazines of this and
other countries. The Western Farmer
and Dairyman, in its July issue, which
will be mailed in few days, has an
article from Mr.. Burbank's pen, also
fine nalf tone cut. Success for July de-
vites quite little space to this genius who
has given to the world something new,
yet the process by which he works is
not new or peculiar. George Archibald
Clark says this process is in accord
with well-known and unalterable laws
of nature. The principal methods used
are selection and crossing. Nature is us
ing these same processes every day. The
bees and the wind carry the pollen of
one flower to fertilize another, thus
bringing about the crossing of species.
The struggle for existence, and a thous-
and circumstances of growth and de-
velopment, tend to weed out the unfit
among the plants, leaving the best to
survice. This is selection. But where
natures operations are largely left to
chance and accident, Mr.. Burbank gives
them intelligent direction and his results
are sure and immediate.
He takes two plants whose life-habits,
structure, and environment may have
been wholly different. He brings them
together, implanting the pollen of one
upon the stigma of the other. As a re-
suit the species are thrown into state
of perturbation-set to ''wabbling," as
it We're. The life tendencies are broken
up by the shock. The plants resulting
from the crossing may resemble one or
the other of the parent plants. These are
not important. Some of the plants will
combine the best qualities of the, par
ents. From these improved varieties of
fruits and flowers are produced Some
of the plants. will be different from eth
er parent perhaps unlike any other
plant in existence. From these unusual
variants new plants may be developed.
He selects, his, original subjects from
far and near He brings a raspberry
from Siberia to combine it with a black
berry of California. He brings a plum
from China or Japan to combine it with
a native apricot. An experiment is
built UP on the foundation of common
wild flower, as the daisy, for example.
In another experiment, "a flower from
Australia may be used. He brings a cac-
tus from Central America to cross with
a species from Arizona.
Having crossed his species, he plants
the seeds. From the resulting seedlings
he selects the single plant, or the two
or three at most, which he finds best
suited for his purpose. The seeds of
these are again planted and the work
of the selection goes on. 1t was from a
bed of sixty-five thousand plants that he
selected the one from which his white
blackberry was developed. The seeds
accumulate by rapid progression. In
a few seasons there is an immense guam
tity of them. All are planted. He does
not believe in dealing with few cam
piles. He chooses few, but the number
to be chosen from is large. When the
time for selection comes, the whole lot
it may be hundred or two hundred
thousands passed before him in re-
view. He selects those which suit his
purposes, and the others 90 to the brush
heap and the bonfire. Prof. De Vries has
remarked: ut is no easy task to pick
the right apple tree from growing
bed of three hundre dthousand seed
lings." But this is exactly what Mr..
Burbank does. He deals WITH large
numbers and his results are correspond
ingly large and important.
Mr.. Burbank is not the product of a
college and his education is not from
books, but he is intensely practical and
has accomplished much for mankind. He
| is yet in the prime of life and in years
to come will be able to do more to add
vance the interests of horticulture.