The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-08-19

Multitude of Visitors From All
Parts Of World Worries
... Seed Wizard.

Seed Wizard.
Journal Special service.2r.s r'......
Santa Rosa, Cal, Aug. 18.-Luther
Burbank, the eminent creator OF new
fruits and flowers, whose home is in this
city, is not only one Of the most dis
9cussed men in the world today but he
is also one of the most sought after.
Year by year. the number of visitors at
the pretty ,vine-ceVered cottage on
Santa Rosa avenues, situated In the cen
ter Of his private experime entail grounds,
has increased to such an extent that IN
the year 1905 more than 5000 persons
came to see him. #S"!f - -
OF the multitude that came from all
parts Of the known world to see Mr..
Burbank, multiply the different nation
alities they represent by about q hun
dred, and one will arrive at the differ
ent reasons for which they come. Re-
moving from the list the distinguished
men Of science who annually visit the
Burbank shrine for the purpose of
scrutinizing the marvels of his work
with nature, and those really interested
that there is in plant and fruit for the
enjoyment Of mankind for this, in
short, is Burbank issgreat aim in life
there are hundreds Of persons who are
mere curiosity seekers, those who think
the world s greatest horticultural sci
enlist has all the time and the neces-
sary patience to answer as many fool
ish questions as they choose to ask. =.
All; Sorts of Men. , -
In, this crowd are all sorts and ,condi-
tions of mankind, and if a record could
be kept of thslfIdad 1T 81 st o would ID fur
largest volumes published in many de-
| cades. Some one once suggested to Mr..
| Burbank that he have a photograph in
convenient position to catch some of
the absurd questions asked. If the call
ers would confne their queries to mat
| ters appertaining to Mr., Burbank IS
work it would not be so bad. But here
is one who asks the scientist if he real
ly likes being great, as the world counts
him. Another man calls to know if he
will permit him to- name particular
brand of cigar the "Luther Burbank. -
Another one comes along and wants
Burbank to allow the use Of his name
on some particular brand Of soap, OF
perchance some article Of food or some
piece Of mechanism. Such requests as
these are not granted.
Then, amid the great army Of Bur
bank visitors are the beggars. They
! poster the scientist with requests fol-
just one seed Of this, or a sprig OF
twig Of something else, nearly always
something of his most costly and mac
cessible creations. Next in number are
those who call or write to Burbank fol-
employment. In the latter part of last
year this became such a nuisance that
a specially prepared circular letter was
got up by Mr.. Burbank $ private secre
tary informing the writer that there
was no work to be had. Some Of the
most amusing Of the callers are those
who imagine that he has money to burn
They come to ask him, one might al
most say, to grubstake' them in al
imaginable vocations of life.
Pretty Girl Pest.
One pretty girl came many. miles tt
see if Burbank would not give her The
money with which to train the voice
which she assured him she possessed
Others desire him to put them in the
= way of learning a profession. Others
want him to loan them the wherewitha
for all kinds Of schemes And SO on.
| A lettered reminder that the grounds
are "private - is of little avail. The
warning is unheeded. Additional signs
nave Deen put up calling ATTENTION J(
I. the fact that admittance to the ground!
can be on business only. Even this only
in measure serves to bring about thu
4 desired effect. Things reached such {
: turn that Mr.. Burbank was hardly sure
I. of any privacy. !; Then came the eli
max, and a distasteful one it was, too
Bigger signboards and larger lettering
were placed at each of the entrances
and the sidewalks leading to the house
The boards bore the warning, "Tres
passers will be prosecuted to the full
est extent Of the law Today thos,
signs greet the eye Of every one VIII,
passes by the Burbank home. They ar
there because Of absolute necessity. Mr.
Burbank was forced to announce tina
he positively had nothing to give ava,
or to sell, all his creations being put il
J the hands Of the great seedsnen Of tn,
world to be distributed by them.
There have been people among tn,
Burbank callers who regard him in tn
Z light Of a magician They have come
some of them, to receive sthealin,
/ touch,' or to ask him just to toucl
some lowly weed or flower and instantl,
!; turn it into beautiful, fragrant bloom
!, Is it any wonder that Burbank had t,
} barricade his grounds against intruder
such as these9 Is it any wonder tina
the president Of the Carnegie institu
tion at Washington recently said
! Leave Burbank to himself: His prec
ious moments must not be disturbed il
!, the evolution Of his grand work. -