GERMAN AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 215 



separate fields of work. We have then to distinguish the following" 

 aims of the experiment stations in Germany, which are commonly 

 indicated as specialties, although some large stations with abundant 

 means are able to carry on several of these branches: 



(1) The exercise of control — 



(a) Experiment stations for the examination of fertilizers and 



feeding stuffs. 

 (^ Seed-control stations. The number of stations occupied 



with seed control is small. 



(2) Experiment stations devoted especially to plant nutrition, prob- 



lems in manuring, and soils. 

 (.')) Experiment stations devoted primarily to investigations in animal 

 nutrition. 



(4) Dairy experiment stations. 



(5) Experiment stations for agricultural industries. 



(6) Experiment stations for plant protection. 



ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



As has been mentioned in the course of this article, the German 

 experiment stations were not organized by the states, but for the most 

 part were founded by the combined effort of private farmers; and it 

 follows from this that in the nature of the case they could not have a 

 uniform organization. The need of mutual sympathy and support is 

 naturally not less among the German stations than among those of 

 other countries. This need found expression at the very beginning in 

 voluntary annual meetings of the stations at the larger stations in dif- 

 ferent parts of Germany. These conventions were devoted to scientific 

 discussions on the important questions of the day. Whenever it was 

 practicable to unite upon analytical methods special meetings were held 

 for the purpose, without, however, forming a permanent association. 

 The apparently loose union of the German experiment stations and the 

 voluntary attendance on the meetings have been materially strength- 

 ened by the excellent organ which the}^ have, Die landwirtschaftlichen 

 Verswhs-Stationen, edited by Professor Nobbe, in which expression can 

 be given to the views and desires of the stations. 



The gradual abandonment of the separate meetings of the stations 

 and their organization as a section of the Association of German Nat- 

 uralists and Physicians did not tend to strengthen the union of the 

 stations. The special problems came to occupy a more subordinate 

 place, and the attendance on these section meetings was materially 

 smaller than that of the former meetings of specialists. As a result of 

 this a certaiu estrangement grew up between individual stations, which 

 made it apparent that a closer union and a stronger organization was 

 an urgent necessity. This was accomplished, with the cooperation of 

 all the German stations, by the formation of the Association of Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Stations in the German Empire, at Weimar, 



