FAMOUS BOTANIST

Evening Star, Issue 19221, 12 April 1926, Page 4

FAMOUS BOTANIST

MR LUTHER BURBAHK HIS DEATH ANNOUNCED. Prase Association—By Telegraph—OopyrigM, NEW YORK, April 11. (Received April 12, at 9.25 a.m.) A message from Santa Rosa, Califor* nia, says that Mr Luther Burbank, th® noted plant culturist, died early on Sunday at his home there after two weeks’ illness. His death was attributed to nervous exhaustion, complicated by a heart attack. The scientist’s age. which was seventy-seven, together with his inability to assimilata any but limited quantities of nourishment, proved a handicap.—A. and N.Z» Cable. [Luther Burbank, usually knowrj as “ tiie Plant Wizard,” has probably contributed as much as any man in his day and generation to the real benefit of mankind. He succeeded by careful selection and breeding in producing almost numberless plant “mules,” often of infinitely greater food value than the parents, and often resisting disease better than the stocks from which they were bred. This truly great man was esteemed for big extrema kindness, his modesty, and his remarkable lack of ostentation. He was born in Massachusetts on March 7, 1849, and was educated at Lancaster Academy. Ho was always devoted to the study of Nature, especially plant life. He moved to Santa Rosa,' California, in 1875, where he conducted Burbank’s experimental farms. Ho was the originator of numerous plants, and had over 3,000 extensive experiments under way, and had over 5,000 distinct botanical specimens from all parts of the world. He raised more that 1,000,000 plants a year for testing. He was special lecturer on evolution at the Leland Stanford, Jun., University, and was the author of several works on botanical subjects.]