Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-09-06

look at hom. An order came for 10000
young prune trees. Could he fill 1t in
nine months?
He hadn't a prune tree on his place,
and how was he going to supply 10000
In nine months? He got together all
the men and boys he could find to
plant almonds for him. They grew
rapidly. When they were ready he
had 10000 prune buds for them, and
in short time the prunes were bud
ded into the growing almonds, and be-
fore the time was up the trees were de-
livered to the delighted ranchman.
| And l have seen these 10000 prune
trees. They are growing today, and 1t
is really one Of the finest orchards in
California.
| Before he disposed Of his business
his returns were $4,000 a year. Then
he sold out What for? To rest? To
take a holiday trip? No. Now he
was ready to give his whole life to
the experiment he had been dreaming
Of for years.
| but Is D. well huOWH VI
history that the dreamer and expert
menter is seldom a money maker. SO
1. was with Burbank. His experiments
were costly Soon his interest money
was all gone. He began to use up the
principal.
| Year after year he worked on, now
and again letting the world know OF
some new discovery. HIS fortune be-
gan to dwindle, yet he never faltered.
He determined to keep on as long as
his money held out, and then, said he,
in talking to me of this period:
! II was willing to begin over again II
had to. felt sure could earn
enough to live on, and II motif I had
grown too old and feeble, Providence
would see that was cared for In some
way or other"
In his method of working Burbank
Is quick and decided. 1t was my priv
ilege to be with him one morning In his
proving ground at Sevastopol, some
seven miles from his home.
Row after row of young plum trees,
covered with fruit, stood before US.
Two assistants were with us, one with
handful Of white cords and one with
handful Of brown or black ones.
These are all grown from the same
seed. Now see how they differ"
| He picked few plums from the first
tree. Rapidly he looked at one, care
fully tasted 1t, and said, "Kill" had
scarcely got my teeth into the first
plum when he was on to the next
tree and the next and the next, with
rapidity that was simply astounding.
His keen eyes, trained to scientific ac-
curacy, saw at what seemed to be one
glance all the attributes Of the tree.
One taste satisfied him as to texture,
juiciness and flavor Of the fruit, and
thus, almost in a moment, he had de-
cided whether that tree was worth
keeping for further experimentation or
was to go to the bonfire.
Almost as fast as ] can write 1t the
words fell from his lips, kill" keep"
keep" KILL kill, keep" The at
tendants followed and put on the white
or black strings that denoted the fate
Of the particular tree.
A little history Of the very beginning
of Mr. Burbank's labors is sure to be
interesting to those who like to know
how the primary idea Of great achieve
ments was born. He was but mere
lad in New England when the first
thoughts of plant development and I'M
provement came to him. He saw that
all the apples on the same tree were
not exactly the same in size, color.
shape, juiciness, flavor or fibre.
He gathered from one rose bush
roses that, while Of the same species,
were larger, smaller redder, paler In
tint, more fragrant, less fragrant than
others on the same bush. Potatoes In
the same hill were of differing sizes
and quality and flavor, and so on. This
led him to the conclusion that II, by
selection or cross-fertilization, these
better fruits or flowers would be stim-
ulated the whole product would be i'm
proved.
| While these thoughts were bubbling
in his brain he was a market gardener
and was growing potatoes, and he saw
that out Of a batch Of potatoes In his
field there was but one which bore
seed ball. He decided to experiment
with the seeds.
| When he came to pick the ball 1t
was gone In despair he was about TO
go away and give up when he deeid-
ed to make search for It. Soon to
his delight he found it where, doubt
less, some wandering dog had knocked
It as he rushed through the garden.
The experiments began and soon de-
lveloped the now world-renowned. Bur-
bank potato, from which millions have
been made and which has given cheap
er and better potatoes to the world.
Yet he sold 1t to a local scotsman for
$3.50.
That was his start and he was not
vet 20 years Of age. Then sunstroke
made a partial invalid Of him, and all
his life seemed to be changed. For his
health he was shipped to California,
and here he had battles and struggles
that would have daunted and discour-
aged any but the most determined and
sincere.
| To most people Burbank appears
shy and reserved, almost to diffidence
and timidity. He is shrinking in
sense, but let questions be put to him
about his work or his thought and his
answers are as clear, sharp and de-
cisive as those OF any man l ever
knew. There is no aggressiveness or
self-assertiveness. but a defniteness
and clarity that show he has thought
long and deeply and come to all con-
clusions for himself, yet he has the
spirit Of boy.
| THE BUSINESS MAN.-"f young
man does not find romance in his bus
liness, It is not the fault OF the busi-
ness but the fault Of the young man.