266 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the following statement of the number of stations in existence 

 there at the expiration of each period of five years that has 

 passed since the establishment of the station at Moeekern : 

 In 1852, one; in 1857, eleven; in 1862, nineteen; in 1867, 

 thirty; in 1872, sixty-two; in 1875, seventy. There are 

 thus seventy of these experiment stations in Europe, each 

 employing from one to five investigators, trained in the great 

 modern schools of chemistry and physiology. 



Some thirteen of these stations are chietiy devoted to the 

 study of cattle feeding, as at Weende, Proskau, and Milan ; 

 some twenty-five to experiments on the conditions of vege- 

 table growth, and the action of manures, as at Dahme, and 

 Ida-Marienhutte ; some to tobacco and grape culture, as at 

 Carlsruhe ; some to grape culture and wine making, as at 

 Wiesbaden and Padua. The station at Udine is devoted to 

 studies in silk production ; those at Stockholm and Lodi to 

 milk industry. Thirty stations are largely occupied with 

 analyses of commercial manures. Eighteen stations test the 

 purity and vitality of seeds. Most of the stations, however, 

 combine several of these objects in their operations. 



During the years 1852 to 1857 the Moickern station pub- 

 lished five reports of the experiments and researches there 

 conducted, making together a most valuable volume of 574 

 octavo pages. Many others of the German, Austrian and 

 Italian stations have issued similar reports in pamphlet or 

 book form. 



In 1859 began the publication, in Germany, of a special 

 organ of the workers in wiiat had thus grown to be a national 

 enterprise. This journal, entitled Versuchs-Stationen, issued 

 in bi-monthly parts, continues to this day. For the first years 

 of its existence it formed a closely printed annual volume of 

 240 to 360 pages. In 1864 it thickened to nearly 500 pages, 

 and still maintains that dimensions. 



In 1863 the number of chemists and investigators connected 

 with the experiment stations and agricultural schools had be- 

 come sufficient to warrant an annual convention for discussion 

 and exchange of views, and for ten j'ears this general con- 



