No. 4.] GERMAN EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 371 



at Mockern, near Leipsig, in 1851. In 18(il we find nine 

 stations in operation ; in 1871, twenty-tliree ; in 1881, fifty; 

 and finally, in 1892, sixty-seven. 



The German stations in their earlier days carried on a 

 great variety of investigations; but they soon learned to 

 specialize, to study fewer subjects, and to study them more 

 exhaustively. More attention is now 1)eing given to work 

 in the laboratories, in the greenhouse and the stables, and 

 less to the farm and garden ; i. e. , they have found that many 

 of the questions asked them by agriculturists are of so difiicult 

 a nature as to require long and careful study, under condi- 

 tions where all circumstances can be controlled. ]\Iany 

 of the stations in former years were situated on large farms, 

 but they have been gradually moving towards the cities and 

 universities, in order that the assistance of the ablest 

 scientific investigators might be secured. 



