The Minneapolis journal., 1901-05-25

One of the saddest things in connec-
tion with the recent death of DR.. otto
Lugger, entomologist of the state expert
ment station, was the sudden breaking
off of his plans for a science farm up
near Sandstone in Pine county. But
few days before his death in conversation
with a friend, he outlined what he was
going to do, and gave an interesting de-
scription Of what had already been ac-
complished.
The scheme of the farm was to unite
the highest forms of modern scientinc
knowledge with the most practical and
sensible methods of actual farm work, to
join the theoretical to the practical in or
der to bring about the best possible re-
suits. Had he lived to carry out his
plans, he would have still further demon
strated in this large object lesson how
valuable man he was to the state.
Dr. Lugger was particularly fond OF
outdoor life. Naturally, the scientific
work to which he had always been de-
voted kept him much in close contact with
nature; but he had native love for
woods and streams and prairies. When he
accepted an invitation from friend to
go up on a camping trip to beautiful
lake near Sandstone several years ago,
he had no other thought than to have
fine outing, and, mayhap, to enrich his
specimen cases or to solve some new ma
ture problem But the beauty OF the
place attracted him and he formed In his
mind a plan to buy portions OF the shore
line of the lake as he could afford 1T for
the purpose of establishing an ideal farm.
At the points selected there was quite
heavy growth of hard wood timber; on
beautiful point projecting out into the
lake magnificent stand of pine. The
first ctpn IN no talxan tn observe the
scientific rules Of forestry. In order to
have ample logs for lumber for the build
ings to be erected he made a careful sur
vey of the woods and selected for cutting
such trees as were large enough to answer
commercial purposes, carefully leaving all
those which were not large enough to be
meTchantable. When these trees were
marked for cutting they were cut down
and by means Of a portable saw mill all
the lumber needed for the house to be
used by his farm superintendent and for
the barns and sheds was sawed up on the
place and the smaller trees were left to
grow for the harvests of other years.
A number of close friends of DR.. Lugger
had bought sections of the lake shore,
until at last nearly the entire shore line
was in their control. The lake had been
a favorite fishing ground and a resort for
Sunday picnic parties, but in order to
carry out his plans successfully, DR..
Lugger discouraged all such things as
this, and even left unimproyed the road
which led into the place, so that, for the
present, there should be freedom from an
noyance.
Fruit Farming Begun.
Soon plans for fruit culture were put
into effect and several hundred of the
best and hardest varieties of fruit trees
were set out. All kinds of small fruits
were also planted, and, in each case, only
such varieties were selected and only such
methods were followed in planting and
culture as were sanctioned by sensible
science.
Vegetable gardening came in for close
attention. From a half dozen places in
foreign countries DR.. Lugger secured po-
tatoes for testing. He was eminently
practical in it all and proposed to raise
potatoes, for instance, with just as care
full attention to the market side as to
the scientific side. He had prepared for
use this fall potato separator. Realiz-
ing that potatoes of certain uniform size
and of good quality, are more desirable
for hotels, for example, than potatoes of
all sizes, the entire crop was to be put
through the machine in order that best
results in uniformity might follow.
Fine Breeds of Poultry.
When it came to his poultry he was
equally careful. Only the finest breeds
were selected, and some of them were
new and of foreign importation. An IL
lustration Of the generous character of
the man is seen in an incident in connec-
tion with this branch of his work. Last
fall he had an unusually fine lot of tur-
keys, twenty-four in number, bred and
fed scientifically rare lot. In speaking
of them to friend he said:
'You may be sure was proud of them"
what do you figure was your profit on
them" asked his friend, 'after deducting
the cost of raising, and so on?'
''Well," said the professor, with a
hearty laugh. Il never figured 1t out,
for 1 felt SO good over the size and ex-
cellence of the lot that gave the whole
twenty-four away to my friends"
And yet he was not planning his farm
primarily for the benefit of his friends
though his free and generous nature all
knew. He was making preparations at
all points to make the farm pay for itself
as its development progressed.
The most careful selection was made in
cattle for his dairy, in order that the best
results might also follow here. An ice
house of approved pattern had been con-
structed. Near at hand was well-rigged
derrick so that whenever the cooling
room for cream was too high in tempera-
ture huge cake of ice could be swung
in from the other part of the ice house.
The dairy room was built into the ice
house so that it could be reached at will.
Part of the land back from the lake was
low and swampy, and draining of this was
already under way, though he had begun
subduing the swamp by process of SOW