Luther Burbank
 

Awhile back I was doing some research on the breeder Luther Burbank and didn't find much of his writings. Well a few days ago researching something else I came across 100 + of his writing (he seemed to like to write a lot) so if you are interested here's a link to his public domain works (not all but quite a list)
[URL]http://archive.org/search.php?query=burbank%2C%20luther%20AND%20mediatype%3Atexts[/URL]
[IMG]http://www.tomatoville.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=32177&stc=1&d=1363221803[/IMG]

A few months ago I happened on the Luther Burbank farm in Sebastopol quite by accident. I'd just bought somn wonderberry seeds and my wife recognized the name as we were driving p[ast. There's a huge field full of odd hybrids, some successful, some not. I guess it's taken a long time to catalog what he was doing there.

Part of the land is given over to a retirement complex.

He seems to have been a very interesting human being, not just an interesting horticulturalist

Thanks for that link.

Luther Burbank would be shot on sight if he entered Oregon. (I know, he's already dead, but the sentiment remains.)

Every Oregonian's year is spent fighting Himalayan and Evergreen blackberries, both unholy creations of Burbank.

Luther Burbank
 

Luther Burbank was da man!!!!!!

tommy

I too happened upon Luther Burbanks farm a few years back. Awesome little farm in the russian river area of Sebastopol. I have also seen the endless blackberries from northern california to washington thanks to him. I always thought it was cool to have endless free blackberries but some friends that live in snohomish washington would beg to differ. The better half of their backyard is overgrown with the bushes.

[QUOTE=heirloomtomaguy;410911]I too happened upon Luther Burbanks farm a few years back. Awesome little farm in the russian river area of Sebastopol. I have also seen the endless blackberries from northern california to washington thanks to him. I always thought it was cool to have endless free blackberries but some friends that live in snohomish washington would beg to differ. The better half of their backyard is overgrown with the bushes.[/QUOTE]
Unfortunately, endless blackberries rapidly becomes only blackberries.

I lived on the Russian River for a couple of years and have been to his farm and the museum in Santa Rosa. Very impressive, but I still want to strangle the man.

I could see why you would want to do so. What made you leave the russian river area. I love that area wish i could live there but my job is in the la area

Strange to me because blackberries are easy to control compared to raspberries. I guess they do better in my part of the world. I just picked up some Burbank blackberries. Burbank's White.

I always laugh to myself when my wife asks me to buy blackberries when they are overly abundant and pretty much a weed in the pacific northwest. However i would take blackberries over tumble weeds any day.

Blackberries are a weed in Illinois, too, but the ones growing wild don't produce very nice fruit, which is I guess what makes them profitable to grow. A transplanted wild plant, when cared for properly, will make a much larger berry. The wild ones are tiny and mostly seed.

[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Burbank[/url]
[I]The modesty with which he wore his scientific fame repeatedly reminded me of the trees that bend low with the burden of ripening fruits; it is the barren tree that lifts its head high in an empty boast.[/I]

[QUOTE=heirloomtomaguy;410929]I could see why you would want to do so. What made you leave the russian river area. I love that area wish i could live there but my job is in the la area[/QUOTE]
2 reasons I left;
Living under redwoods is difficult. The dankness saps your energy constantly.
My job, welding wood stoves together all day was getting really old.

and,

I discovered Santa Cruz and was offered a job there tending bar in a blues club. No brainer.