SECRETARY'S REPORT. 167 



The whole establishment is under the control of the royal 

 ministry for agricultural affairs at Berlin. 



The experimental farm, close by the school, contains, I 

 believe, about seventy acres. I visited the barns and out-build- 

 ings, all of which appeared to be in admirable condition, a place 

 for everything and everything in its place. 



But seven or eight cows are kept, and those are all Dutch, 

 which are thought there to be among the best for milk. No 

 experiments appear to be made there to test the comparative 

 merits of different breeds. A long series of experiments in the 

 fields near the house seemed to be conducted in the most careful 

 manner. Many of the plots of wheat were of extraordinary 

 growth. A great variety of plants are cultivated, chiefly for 

 the purpose of instruction. 



I visited Gissen, Gottingen and Halle, with each of which 

 universities there is an agricultural department connected, but 

 they do not differ materially, so far as I could learn, from those 

 at Jena and Bonn. 



GEISBERG. 



The agricultural institute at Geisberg near Wiesbaden is the 

 principal if not the only one of the kind in the Duchy of Nassau. 

 I visited it in July. It stands on an elevated plateau overlook- 

 ing a most enchanting region of country, with the fashionable 

 invalid resort of Wiesbaden close by, while at a little distance 

 rolls the winding Rhine between its vine-clad hills. The cele- 

 brated vineyard of Johannisberg is not far down the river. 

 This school differs from most others in giving instruction only 

 in winter. 



It is on the isolated and independent plan, and is designed 

 for the instruction of practical farmers, without teaching prac- 

 tice on the place. Applicants must be sixteen years old, 

 possess a good elementary education, and a good " character." 

 They have to bring a written certificate of willingness on the 

 part of the parent or guardian that they should enter the 

 school, and it is expected that pupils shall have spent one or 

 more summers in work on the farm before they enter. If the 

 requisite certificate of proficiency in the elementary studies can- 

 not be produced, or if it is not satisfactory, the applicant is 

 examined, and either rejected or accepted with conditions, not 



