259 
pounds to 4 pounds of washed wool per head; the imported ram about 54 pounds; and 
among the numerous choice specimens of wool, including Mr. Joubert’s, from noted 
Australian flocks, which I have seen within the last ten or fifteen years, I have seen 
none, in my opinion, of superior quality from fleeces of equal weight. 
I am, sir, very truly, yours 
tt ae aa HENRY S. RANDALL. 
Hon. Freprerick WartTTS, 
Commissioner of Agriculture. 
EUROPEAN STATISTICS. 
STATISTICS OF AGRICULTURE IN SWEDEN AND NORWAY. 
The following facts relating-to agriculture and commerce in Sweden 
and Norway are condensed from communications made to the Depart- 
ment of State by Mr. C. C. Andrews, United States minister to Sweden, 
chiefly from official reports: bany 
AGRICULTURE IN SWEDEN.—The surface of Sweden, as a whole, slopes 
gradually from the Baltic to the mountain range which separates it from 
Norway. The larger part is what is called low ground, which is inter- 
sected by numerous granite ridges from 40 to 50 feet high. It abounds 
in lakes, streams, and forests. Of the latter some are of massive fir, 
some of stately oak and other hard-wood varieties, and some on rocky - 
tracts are of scanty growth. By the co-operation of the government 
and private enterprise, Sweden has developed a well-organized agri- 
cultural system. The Royal Academy of Agriculture, established at 
Stockholm, has connected with it an experimental farm, and devotes itself 
chiefly to the solving of scientific questions involved in agricultural indus- 
‘tries. There are two agricultural institutes of a high grade—Alnarp, 
near Luna, and Ultuna, near Upsala—which have fine farms and are well 
endowed. A few graduates from these are sent annually, at the public ex- 
pense, to spend a year in studying the theory and practice of agriculture in 
Scotland, it being thought that Scotland, in its agricultural features, re- 
sembles Sweden more than any other country does. In addition to these 
three institutions, national in their scope, each lin, or county, has an agri- 
cultural economic society, of which the county governor (appointed by 
the Crown) is usually president. These county societies draw a consid- 
erable revenue fromabrandy-tax imposed by the government, and hence, ~ 
though voluntary organizations, they are indirectly brought under ob- 
ligations to collect statistics for governmental purposes. They have the 
means of distributing premiums, and as they generally include the 
most intelligent and public-spirited men in the county, they promote 
agricultural interests in many ways. Statistical blanks are annually 
forwarded by the central bureau of statistics to each of these societies, 
which is expected to see that they are filled out and returned by all the 
farmers within its limits. In this work the society is assisted by the 
parish administrations, and such other agencies as are available. As 
soon as the returns from any one county are received by the statistical 
bureau, they are printed and distributed overthe kingdom. But, though 
it often happens that the statistics of a county are returned in printed 
form and distributed through it (and the country) within six weeks 
from the time they were forwarded, the annual report of, agriculture 
for the whole kingdom is seldom published before the statistics are two 
years old. 
