BURBANK, LUTHER. — American botanist, b. 1849, d. 1926. He was the first in the United States to dedicate himself to selective breeding and irrigation with remarkable results. He supported the influence of the environment on hereditary constitution. “There is no possible doubt,” he said, “that every plant form that exists on this earth has been modified and is still being modified by the effects of the environment” (L. Burbank, *An Architect of Nature*, London 1939, p. 139).
BIBL.: The life of B. is prefixed to the Italian translation of his work entitled: *Come si educano le piante*, Milan 1941. Luigi Scremin