Edison as I know him, by Henry Ford, in collaboration with Samuel Crowther.

EDISON As I KNOW HIM

experiment has taught him what not to do and
gradually, by a process of elimination, he finds
what to do.
The existing knowledge on any subject may
give him suggestions, or again it may simply
hasten the process of elimination. If there be no
existing knowledge, Mr. Edison will start experimenting to test his theories of what would be
most suitable. For instance, he is now searching
for some common plant which may be grown
easily within the borders of the United States
and which will give a sufficient yield of rubber
to make it a source of supply for the country in
the event of war.
Plants and trees have not, in general, been
studied from this angle. Therefore he unflinchingly, although with a full knowledge of the task
ahead of him, began determining the rubber content of every easily grown plant in the country.
He has already examined more than fifteen thousand and by the time he is through he will have
such full and detailed knowledge that he can
at least determine whether or not he is on the
right track.
When he undertook to develop the storage
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