Luther Burbank

Originally Aired: June 30, 1937 Cavalcade of America #89, "Luther Burbank," tells the story of the legendary plant breeder's early years and the philosophy that guided his groundbreaking work. From his boyhood in Lancaster, Massachusetts, young Luther demonstrates an uncanny fascination with the natural world. When he and a friend discover green grass growing in winter near a warm spring, the observation sparks an idea that leads to his first successful experiment: growing corn indoors to transplant outdoors weeks ahead of schedule. This early success sets him on a path of careful observation and patient experimentation. By age twenty-one, Luther owns a small farm where he develops the superior Burbank Potato through selective breeding from seed balls. When businessman Walter Gregory arrives offering to buy exclusive rights to the revolutionary new potato, Luther faces a choice between potential wealth and his true calling. His modest asking price of one hundred fifty dollars reveals his real motivation: funding a move to California, where the climate and soil promise endless opportunities for the plant experiments that truly captivate him.