The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-08-20
BERGH HAS NARROW
ESCAPE IN EUROPE
Former Bemidji Man Returned Just
Before Beginning of War
Was On Honeymoon Trip.
STUDIED FOREIGN AGRICULTURE
Obtained Much Valuable Information
Concerning Practical and Scientific
Methods-Visited Many Places.

Otto Bergh, formerly in charge of
the agricultural department of the
Bemidji schools, but who during the
past few years haas been an agroni-
mist at the North western Expert
ment station, was one of the fortu-
nate European tourists this summer
who returned before war actually
broke out. Mr.. tBergh, who has
been assigned to the Experiment
Station at Grand Rapids, Mimi, as
agronomist, combined his honey
moon trip with business and visited
over two scores of experiment sta
tons in the European countries.
In an account of his trip, the Crook
ston Times says:
Just before he sailed for America,
he visited Liege, Belgium, and sur
rounding country, where a few days
later there was such desperate fight
ing and bloodshed At the time he
passed through the valley the harvest
was on, and Mr.. Bergh states that
the fields were alive with men and
women gathering the crops, which a
few days later were trampled by the
soldiers of Germany. At that time
Mr. Bergh states that he had heard
OF 1N, ,rt,t nf
that the actual warfare must have
come upon the people like a streak
Of lightning out of clear sky.
Trip to Study.
Mr.. Bergh made the trip in order
to study the work being done by the
experiment stations in the more pro-
sressive European countries He
sailed on the Corsican from Montreal
and met the Norwegian steamer
Storstadt after it's collision with the
Empress of Ireland, many of the sur
vivors being brought aboard the Cor
sican. AS a result of the sinking of
the Empress of Ireland, over one
hundred passen gers who were book
ed on the Corsican cancelled their
trip. On the, voyage over the Wea-,
Their was very foggy and the Corsic-
an passed by the Teutonic, which a
day later wirelessed back that she
was in the midst Of an ice foe, and
warned the Corsican to take the
northern course, which resulted in
her passing between two big ice
foes, necessitating very moderate
speed. Mr. Bergh secured many pic
lures of floating icebergs during the
next two days.
Visits Burns Home.
Mr. Bergh visited first the expert
ment station and dairy school at Kill
marnock, Ayershyre, the home coun-
ty of Bobby Burns, where he says
some splendid work has been done
along dairy lines. This is the home
of the famous Ayershyre breed of
cattle, which is popular in many
sections of the Northwest. He next
proceeded to Edinburg, Scotland,
where he visited the famous East
Barnes Botanical gardens, located
near Dunbar, and managed by Harry
Hope member of the British par
lament The experimental work
done here has been of the greatest
benefit not only to that section, but
to the world in general
Potato- Experiments.
Mr.. Bergh was very highly i'm
pressed with the potato experiment
of which he, learned at this point.
The potatoes were raised on the
sandy soils of the Irish Sea. They
were sprouted two weeks before be-
ing planted in March, and they were
ready June 10. The farmers were
paid 5000 an acre in the field, the
buyers paid for the digging and the
farmers were only asked to haul the
potatoes to the market. This gave
them splendid profit.
Mr.. Bergh' next visited Newcastle,
England, where he visited Cookie
Park Experiment farm, where spe-
cialty is made of grading and fertil-
izers for pastures. At this place he
secured a great deal of valuable in
formation regarding work along that
line. He next visited New Hamburg,
where he inspected the Botanical
gardens, and the Botanical EXPOSE
ton at Altorna, where a speciality
was made of raising economic crops
and fruits in parks for exhibit pur-
poses. He states that some wonder
full work has been done there alon g
this line. He next visited Denmark
and spent some time at the expert
ment station at Lynjley, which is
the home of the king. Near this
place is the famous dairy farm at
Kolo-Kolo, which is operated by
Gruth Hansen. Mr. Hansen has a
herd of 1G0 Red Danish cows, which
are noted all over Europe. While
MIR. Bergh was there he met NUM-
Der of Russian ENJOYS who were in
Denmark for the purpose of buyin g
dairy cattle. &