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AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



It is in tlie experiment stations in Europe, particularly in Germany, 

 that tbe larger part of the latest research has been made. These are 

 chemical and physiological laboratories, situated generally in more or 

 less direct connection with a farm, garden, or stable, or all of these 

 together, where men of the highest scientific skill are engaged in investi- 

 gating the effects of different manures and methods of culture upon the 

 growth of different crops, or the effect of various kinds of fodder 

 upon domestic animals, and more especially in the study of the more 

 abstruse laws of nutrition in animals and plants. 



Some thirty-eight years ago Boussiugault commenced on his farm at 

 Bechelbronn, in France, a series of researches in agricultural chemistry 

 and i)hysiology which have become classic. Five years later, Liebig, in 

 Germany, began his remarkable work in agricultural chemistry. Two 

 years thereafter, LaweSj aided by Gilbert, commenced in England a 

 series of experiments which are still in operation, and are quite famous. 

 Under the i^atronage of the Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland, 

 and the Eoyal Agricultural Society of England, Yoelcker, Anderson, 

 Way, and others, have done much for agricultural chemistry. 



In 1851 the first German experiment station was founded at tbe insti- 

 gatio-n of some prominent agriculturists, and with the aid of the Leipsic 

 Economical Society on the farm of the society at Moeckern, near Leip- 

 sic. So useful were its labors and so great was the interest thereby 

 awakened that others were soon established, governments, agricultural 

 societies, and private persons uniting in their supi^ort. In 1856 there 

 were, in Prussia, 7 ; in Saxony, 3 ; in Hanover, 3 ; and in Bohemia, 2. 

 In 1858 tbe investigations made in the stations, had become so extensive 

 that it was found advisable to establish a journal for their publication, 

 J)ie LandwirthschaftUchen Versuchs- Stationen. 



The success of these stations in Germany has led to their establish- 

 ment in other countries. 



In 1867 the French government, through its minister of agriculture, 

 sent M. Grandeau to examine the German stations. On receipt of 

 his report steps were taken for the founding of stations in France. 

 Similar procedures have led to the establishment of stations in Italy 

 and Belgium. 



According to the latest accessible data, the present number of estab- 

 lishments which may be classified as experiment stations, including 

 those connected with agricultural schools and those maintained by 

 private individuals, is approximately, as follows : 



In Prussia, 23; Saxony, 7; Bavaria, 4; Other German states, 6; 

 Austria, 9; Italy, 11; France, 5; Switzerland, 1; Belgium, 1; Holland, 

 1 ; Sweden, 2 ; England, 1 ; total, 71. The objects of these stations 

 are: 



1st. The study of the laws of animal and vegetable production, tak- 

 ing this expression in its widest sense, so as to include not only the sci- 

 ences of chemistry and physiology, as applied to the nutrition and growth 

 of plants and animals, but also zootechuy and meteorology in their rela- 

 tions to agriculture. 



2d. Investigations and analyses of soils, waters, and x>articularly of 

 fertilizers. The analyses of commercial fertilizers constitute a very 

 important part of the work of the stations. In Germany these are sold 

 at prices based upon their chemical composition. They are warranted 

 by the seller to contain certain percentages of valuable fertilizing in- 



