The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-03-19

Hon Everis A. Hays Of California,
in the debate in committee of the
whole house February 20. on the au
preparations for the Board Of Agricul
ture, made a speech wholly devoted to
the work of Luther Burbank An
opening he said:
when a man by his labors, study,
or experiments has bestowed great
benefits upon his fellow men, it is &
duty. and ought always to be a pleas
ure. to acknowledge and publish to
the world the blessings to mankind
which his efforts have produced. A
sense of Justice requires this. But at
this time | am moved to make some
observations on the work of Luther
Burbank, a citizen of Santa Rosa, Cal,
because in certain quarters there has
lately been manifested a desire to be
little this great man and his work.
81 fully appreciate the value of the
agricultural and horticultural inter
ests of this country of the great work
of the Department of Agriculture
believe that its useful work for those
interests has Just begun. As a rule
the men engaged in this work are
broadgauged and incapable of cher
ishing those small sentiments-envy
and jealousy. Generally the men OF
the department freely and gladly give
praise for work done outside of T.
department where praise is deserved
but a man connected with the De
partment of Agriculture purposely
forbear mentioning his name-has
seen fit recently to assail Mr.. Bur
bank and to minimize, even to ridi
Guile, his genius and the great work
he has done and is still doing tc
increase the prosperity and happiness
of his fellow men.
Mr.. Chairman, while the people Of
the whole country, are indebted Il
Mr.. Burbank more than most of then
know, the people of California owe
him a special debt Of gratitude. HI
efforts have greatly increased theil
prosperity and wealth. Ninety-five pei
cent of the plums shipped out of Call
fornia, for example, are of the vari
cites originated by Mr.. Burbank
Practically all of the potatoes RAISED
and marketed in our State are Bur
bank seedlings, unquestionably tn,
best potatoes ever produced in thu
world.
"Mr. Burbank's greatness, and tn
magnitude and the value OF hi
achievements are recognized tn
world over by men best capable
understanding and approaching bot
| the man and his work"
Mr.. Hayes quoted President Davi
Starr Jordan of Stanford Universit
as saying:
Luther Burbank is the creates
originator of new and valuable form
of plant life of this or any other age.
He also quoted Professor L. H. Bal
ey of Cornell, W. Arlee Purpee, seeds
man, of Philadelphia, Theodore Roos'
welt, Hugo De Fries of Amsterdam
probably the leading botanist of Ell
rope" and Professor E. J. Wickso1
dean of the department of agricultur
| University of California all in equal
strong tributes to the plant wizard.
Continuing he said:
Although for many yeaFs Mr.. Blu
bank was actively engaged in tn
nursery business, about ten years ag
! he sold out his business to devote hi
entire enegries to plant breeding. Nj
Burbank is not engaged in the nur'
cry business now. His interest i
his productions ceases when the frui
or flower or vegetable is perfecte
and its habits fixed, and insteaS G
going on to propagate large numbe
of them, he prefers to sell the littl
stock that he may have and devot
his time and energies entirely t
carrying out his experiments. Cons(
quently he does not realize large re
turns on any of his novelties. A thous
and dollars would be large price 70
him to receive for even the best G
his work, so that while the work G
Mr.. Burbank has enriched others an
blessed humanity, he himself has re
ceived but very scanty remuneration
Mr. Burbank has put all the none
that he receives from his noveltie
and from his lectures and from hi
books, as well as all the money h
was able to save from his nurser
business, amounting altogether t
about a quarter of a million dollars
into his work, and has received but
simple livelihood. His habits ar
plain and he does not wish for more
There are important experiments
however, the result of many years o
labor, now in progress and waiting t.
be brought into perfection, which ma,