The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-13

to impart delightful doors to natural
~ ill-smelling flowers; to grow gigan-
tic plants from dwarf varieties, and
to produce perfect Gala lily only
one inch in diameter when full grown.
These arc but a few of the queer
anomalys resulting from the hereto
fore unheard Of liberties he took with
natures vegetation.
Many Visit His Farms
Burbank's experimental farms mt
Santa Rosa and SebastOpOl. a nearby
town, became Mecca for statemcn,
kings. princes. philanthropists. horti-
culturists. biologists. botanists. and
humanitarians as the fame of their
owner spread. Never of CONNER
cial turn. Burbank permitted an as
ISOLATION known as The Luther Bur-
bank Society chartered by the State
of California and endowed by wealthy
patrons to disseminate the knowledge
Of plants and vegetables which he
worked out
In addition to the Congressional
grant of land his work was recogniz-
ed by the Carnegie Foundation in
1905 by a gift of $4,000 annually for
a period OF 10 years to insure con-
tinuation of his experiments. In 1921.
when the city of Santa Rosa COM
pleted new 100000 park. it was
named after Luther Burbank. He
turned the first shovel of earth in
the construction. and later laid out
the gardens. which cover a 4l-acre
tract.
The State of California also honored
its distinguished resident some years
ago by naming March Z. Burbank's
birthday. as Bird and Arbor Day and
the occasion has since been cele-
bratcd as school holiday throughout
the state.
Burbank married Elizabeth J.
Waters, of Hastings, Mich, Deem
Der 81. 1916.
As New Years gift to the world,
the naturalist on January l. 1926 an
nounced group of new flowers and
plants.
One of these was the new camas-
STA. striking blue flower. which ex-
ceeded all others Of its kind in beauty
and ability to multiply. From his
Rainbow corn, he produced the Rain
bow teosinte, plant that grows eight
feet in height and bears eight to
fourteen ears to each stalk.
The third was new giant cactus
Towering zinnia, while among the
others were hybrid tritomas. a new
species of the torch lily; an improved
strain Of the Shasta daisy, much lar
ger and more colorful than the old,
and new kind Of fluffy giant astcr.
Satisfied With Years Work
II can say that / am satisfied with
my years work." he told visitors at
his gardens, "for must be satisfied.
The year is done and it has been one
of my busiest. l have worked and
enjoyed every day of it and | will
go on with the New Year"
On March 6. the eve of his seventy
seventh birthday, Burbank addressed
a message to "the children of the
world" telling them their happiness
will be in direct proportion to their
loving thought, toward every per-
SON and animal and even toward stars,
planets, oceans. rivers and hills"
Burbank then said he expected to
live at least five years more and in
that period do. the most important
work of his life.
Had High Hopes
Everything is yet to be done." he
was quoted as saying to magazine
writer. I'm, the next five years /
hope to produce plants with grains
and fruits larger than any we have at
present, with more varied flavors and
colors, with better storing and ship
ping qualities, with more nutriment
and less waste, and with every poi
sonous or injurious element eliminat-
ed" y.
Yet, Burbank felt there was still
more important work than his own to
be done by someone else who could
breed finer human race.
"Inferior human beings cannot be
treated as If they were inferior
plants" he said. "But if civiliza-
ion is to endure, some way must be
found to produce more of the fit and
fewer Of the unfit.
To-day, we are little more than
field Of wild weeds, in which. here
md there. arises superior type.
he result Of fortunate and chance
.rossing rather. than of intelligent I
selection"
The horticulturists health suffered
! setback q few weeks later when he |
had slight heart attack.