Comprehensive information and links about Luther Burbank

Luther Burbank (March 7, 1849–April 11, 1926) was an American botanist, horticulturist, and pioneer of agricultural science. He developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants over his 55-year career. Burbank's varied creations included fruits, flowers, grains, grasses, and vegetables. He developed a spineless cactus (useful for cattle-feed) and the plumcot.

Burbank's most successful strains and varieties include the Shasta daisy, the Fire poppy, the July Elberta peach, the Santa Rosa plum, the Flaming Gold nectarine, the Burbank plum, the Freestone peach, and the Burbank potato. Burbank also bred the white blackberry and the nectarine. A natural sport (genetic variant) of the Burbank potato with russet (reddish-brown) skin later became known as the Russet-Burbank potato: this large, brown-skinned, white-fleshed potato has become the predominant processing potato in the United States of America.

Life and work

Born in Lancaster, Massachusetts, Burbank grew up on a farm and received only an elementary education. The thirteenth of 15 children, he enjoyed the plants in his mother's large garden. His father died when he was 21 years old, and Burbank used his small inheritance to buy a 17-acre (69,000 m²) plot of land near Lunenberg.

Burbank developed the Burbank potato in 1871. Burbank sold the rights to the Burbank potato for $150 and used the money to travel to Santa Rosa, California, in 1875. Later, a natural sport of 'Burbank' potato with russetted skin was selected and named 'Russet Burbank'. Today, the 'Russet Burbank' potato is the most widely cultivated potato in the United States, prized for processing. McDonald's French fries are made exclusive from this cultivar.

In Santa Rosa, Burbank purchased a 4-acre plot of land, and established a greenhouse, nursery, and experimental fields that he used to conduct crossbreeding experiments on plants, inspired by Charles Darwin's . Later he purchased an 18-acre plot of land in the nearby town of Sebastopol for more experimental growing.

Burbank's creations included:

During his career, Burbank wrote several books on his methods and results, including his eight-volume Other Useful Plants Which Will Repay Experiment: Transformations and Improvements Waiting to Be MadeSome Plants which are Begging for Immediate Improvement: Some Plants which are Begging for Immediate ImprovementFundamental principles of plant breeding: Production of new trees, fruits and flowers: plants and childrenAdvance offering of pedigreed Burbank novelties: Fruits and flowers direct from Burbank nurseries, season 1912-1913.

Burbank also had interests in religion and in education reform, writing "Why I am an Infidel" in E. Haldeman-Julius' #1020. He befriended Paramahansa Yogananda during the last several years of his life. Yogananda wrote about Burbank in , describing him as the ideal of an American saint.

In mid-March 1926, Burbank became ill with gastrointestinal complications. He died on April 11, 1926.

Legacy

Burbank's work spurred the passing of the 1930 Plant Patent Act four years after his death. The legislation made it possible to patent new varieties of plants (excluding tuber-propagated plants). In supporting the legislation, Thomas Edison testified before Congress in support of the legislation and said that "This [bill] will, I feel sure, give us many Burbanks." The authorities issued Plant Patents #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #18, #41, #65, #66, #235, #266, #267, #269, #290, #291, and #1041 to Burbank posthumously.

In 1986, Burbank was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. His home and gardens in downtown Santa Rosa are designated as a National Historic Landmark.

The town of Burbank, California, does not take its name from Burbank, but from the Los Angeles dentist David Burbank; however, the horticulturist gave his name to Luther Burbank Middle School in Burbank. The Luther Burbank School District in San Jose and the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa (and that city's Luther Burbank Rose Parade and Festival) also honor Luther Burbank.

The University of Wisconsin's Digital Collections Center has digitized and published online the 12-volume monographic series , which documents Burbank's methods and discoveries and their practical application.

In 1931 the Boys Parental School located on Mercer Island, Washington changed its name to Luther Burbank School. The school continued to function until 1966. The land on which the school was built was bought by King County and converted into Luther Burbank Park.

The standard botanical author abbreviation for Burbank consists simply of "Burbank".