Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-17
NEW-CFNIuRY CLUB

announcements LOT lue coming Week.
Monday p. m, Advanced German
Class; 2.i5 p. M, Beginners German
Class $50 ?. M, Round Table, subject,
The Chateaux of France" Mrs. William
p. Webb, leader; p. m, New-Century
Chorus.
Tuesday-lO8O a. m, Current Events
Class.
Wednesday, p. M, Lecture, "Old
Nurembmg,' Miss Sarah c. Collinsi Tea.
Thursday-lll5 a. m, Fencing Glass;
2.SO P. M, Physical Culture Glass.
satrday-ll a. m, Advanced French
Class.
An interesting programme was pre-.
sented at the Current Events Class. Miss
Mary A. Peirson sketched the life and
wonderful scientific achievements of
Luther Burbank, and described the
methods by which he has so greatly i'm
proved old varieties of fruit and plant
/ life and created new kinds. The man
who makes two blades of grass grow
where one grew before is now left far
| behind as a benefaetor of the world by
| the earnest. clear-sighted man who, with
his inventive faculty, unyielding will and
| infinite painstaking has produced such
wonderful results. His first achieve
ment was the development of a potato
which has already added twenty mil
lions 10 our national weulth. His skill
has increased by use until he seems able
to create at viii any desired modiiica-
tion of existing plants, or by combina-
tion 10 produce new ones. 1t is by 'the
survival of the tittest," by always Sc
! ecting the best that he raises the stand
ard. In a single experiment many thous-
ands of plants are grown from which. ia
make a selection and the rejected ones
are burned, much of the labor of years
often ending in smoke. In one case $4,000
plants that did not come up TO the stand
ard were burned.
Among the new creations that have
survived the tests are both the useful
and ornamental, from grasses and flowers
to great rapid-Wowing trees, as he seems
able 10 produce any desired Characteristic
n OF great importance, particularly to ou
section of the country, has been his work
In the hardening and adapting of plants
TO climatic changes, as the peach, plum
and other fruits, growing where the early
sprinp weather is often mild and followed
, bv later frosts, are very uncertain crops
no meet this need of frOst-troubled re
gions fruit trees have been bred, not only
sturdy and prolific, but frost-resistant s6
they will stand absolute freezing in buC
and flower without a sign of the deadly
) blioht. and they are also hardened
against sun. raiu and drought, and ais,
against injury from shipping. IL ID
claimed that his most benehcent achieve
ment has been the changing OF the cactu
4 from the scourage of the desert TO th'
e producer of delightful nutritious food TO
man and beast that may transform hi'
y, on these great sandy plains. by loni
cultivation of the improved species h
p assures himself that there shall be M
. reversion TO the original type before put
ing his plants on the market. Mr.. Bur
Q hanks love Of children is as great as hi
D love for plants. He says: In the pro
t found study Of the life of plants we fin
e them much like children. Study thei
] wants. help them to what they need, b
. endlessly patient, be honest with then
{ carefully correcting each fault as 1t ap
z pears and in due time they will rewar
j YOU bountifully for every care and max
your heart glad in observing the result
of your work
Fitting in well with Mr.. Burbank
s words on children were the remarks q
n Mrs. Horace G.. Knowles, who followed ]
q a practical talk regarding the best man
n ner of caring for and feeding children S
e that they may reach the most nearly t
g bodilv and mental perfection. If we dc
= mand pure food it will be supplied, and
!, Il mothers privilege TO see that wha
e She proyides viii give physical force an
health. for a good body means goo
: morals, good minds and a greater natioi
piano solo was admirably played b
4 Mrs. Norman Huxley and Miss harla
oave an entertaining review of some do
l lightful children's books which are bein
issued by two young girls, Miss Grove
and Miss Clutter. They are entitle
oArt Literature Readers and aim
hiring the best art and literature
touch with child life. In them the chi
| has A full art courseunconseiousiy Il
tbev afe illustrated by excellent eopi'
of the most famous paintings m q
world and the accompanying text teach,
not only something of the picture itsel
but of the personality OF the artist
tbe children are made TO feel he was oh'
a child like themselves. Some OF the De'
= literature is also introduced IN q va