17^ BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



sion of considerable changes in the laws regarding distilled 

 liquors, two courses of instruction were given to the revenue 

 officers upon the processes of distilling. One lasted ten days 

 and the other twelve, and was attended by over sixty officers of 

 the revenue who desired the information. And so, also, a vast 

 amount of labor is done and information imparted in answer 

 to letters and through numerous publications by the professors, 

 all of wliich widen the circle of influence of the institution. 



Tlie means of instruction in the institute proper were limited, 

 as already stated, at the foundation, to a physical and mathe- 

 matical apparatus, an outfit for the chemical laboratory and a 

 little natural history collection, for which the queen had 

 contributed a thousand |iorins, and this was confined strictly to 

 agriculture. Still with the small number of pupils it was made 

 the means of important instruction in special branches. As for 

 the farm a greatly improved arrangement of lands was adopted 

 than that common in the neighborhood, either then or at 

 present. Schwertz, who was born at Coblentz in 1759, and 

 who was familiar with the agriculture of Belgium, where it was 

 carried on in the highest perfection then known, not only got 

 many improved implements but also a skilful foreman who was 

 acquainted with their use and could teach it to others. 



An implement manufactory formed a part of the design, one 

 that should not only supply the wants of the farm with the best 

 tools, but be the means of introducing the most improved imple- 

 ments into the country, and the institute was extremely fortu- 

 nate in getting the right man for the place, one who had been 

 with Fellenberg at Hofwyl, as an implement maker, and who 

 not only answered expectations, but soon won a high reputation 

 for the implement branch of the establishment by the strength ' 

 and goodness of the work. 



In 1852, and each year since, arrangements were made for 

 the purpose of securing a more rapid and general spread of 

 improved agricultural implements throughout the country 

 whereby master wheelwrights and smiths were provided with 

 an opportunity by a stay of some six or ten days in the imple- 

 ment manufiictory at Hohenheim, of becoming familiar by 

 observation, handling, drawings, models, &c., with the course 

 of business and the manner of manufacture there, and the 

 master mechanic took it upon himself to give the requisite 



