284 



Fellenberg School at Hofwyl. 



Vol. X. 



loads of it have been found to produce 650 

 bushels per acre of potatoes, while, on the 

 same ground, 120 loads of horse manure 

 yielded only 480 bushels. 



In conclusion, I have to remark that the 

 main stay of the farmer is his barn-yard ma- 

 nure. Yet this varies in quality, according- 

 to the material of which it is made, and the 

 manner of making-. Thus the droppings of 

 cattle fed on straw and turnips, are far less 

 valuable than those of cattle fed on hay and 

 oil cake; and it is economy to feed hay and 

 oil cake rather than straw and turnips. So 

 in manuring; that wliich is leached by rains 

 and volatilized by the sun, is less valuable 

 than the unleached and unsunned. But this 

 is too extensive a subject to take up, and is 

 so well understood by good farmers, that it 

 is unnecessary to say more on the subject. 



Fellenberg School at Hofwyl. 



It is not very likely that a school similar to the one 

 described below, would succeed in this country, nor is 

 it probable the attempt will soon be made, yet as 

 much has been said about the Hofwyl Manual Labour 

 School, and as valuable hints to the farmer may be 

 gathered from the communication, we make the fol- 

 lowinor extracts from a letter in the Cultivator of last 

 month, from E. N. Korsford, dated at Geissen, the resi- 

 dence of Liebig, the celebrated Agricultural Chemist 

 in the Tenth mo. last, entertaining no doubt our readers 

 Mill be pleased with them. — Ed. 



Emanuel Von Fellenberg was descended 

 from one of the oldest families of the nobility 

 of Switzerland. Early dissatisfied with po- 

 litical life, he became a pupil of Pestolozzi. 

 Inspired with the ideas of that great man, 

 he resolved to devote his life and fortune to 

 their developeinent. Superior to his master 

 in the refinements of life and in wealth, he 

 was scarcely second to him in zeal and firm- 

 ness of purpose. 



He constuned ten years in visiting schools, 

 and otiierwise fitting himself for the execu- 

 tion of his plans. Having sought through 

 Switzerland a location uniting ail the essen- 

 tials to his conception of a site for a school, 

 he fixed upon Hofwyl, an estate in Canton 

 Berne, about five miles from the capital. Ii 

 is a large irregular mound, embracing about 

 two hundred acres. In the distance, on the 

 east, are the Bernese Alps. On the west is 

 the Jura chain. Lesser elevations between, 

 crowned with forests of different ages, mea- 

 dows rich in verdure, grain fields, and cot- 

 tages embosomed in shade trees, greet the 

 eye on every side as one looks out from the 

 grounds upon which the group of buildings 

 is situated. 



The school was commenced with poor 



children, whose education not only, but 

 whose food and clothing were provided. I 

 cannot follow the history in its detail, show- 

 ing how unwilling for a long time the hum- 

 bler classes were to receive education as a 

 gift — how from these little beginnings the 

 institution has gone forward, till it now num- 

 bers some twenty-five professors and teach- 

 ers, with pupils from every quarter of Eu- 

 rope — how M. Fellenberg was condemned 

 for his enthusiasm — how his holy purpose to 

 temper the keenness and lessen the pressure 

 of want, stood, like the granite peaks in his 

 land, — all unchanged, amid the shock of ele- 

 ments around — and how, full of years and of 

 happiness, he has just closed his mission. 



There were three schools founded by M. 

 Fellenberg — two at Hofwyl, and a third at 

 Kutti, another estate near. The latter is 

 the school for agriculture. The higher 

 school at Hofwyl, receives pupils from the 

 more wealthy families, of whom there are 

 about forty from England — the lower is for 

 the poor. The courses of instruction are 

 totally diiferent. 



Tlie English Professor was kind enough 

 to present my name and mention my wishes 

 to M. Fellenberg early in the morning atler 

 my arrival. 



September 29th, at ten o'clock, I an- 

 nounced myself at M. Fellenberg's office. 

 He begged to be excused for a few mo- 

 ments, that he might complete a letter in 

 progress. I walked up and down a little 

 park or play-ground, looking out upon the 

 grounds of the estate, and enjoying the dress 

 now gradually being taken on by the forests 

 — the yellow and red, with all intermediate 

 shades between them and green, in such 

 harmony and depth of colouring. 



Connected with the school are eight or 

 ten buildings, all of them large, constructed 

 in a kind of Swiss style. The roofs are 

 pointed and projecting, and from two of 

 these, towers or spires run up, giving a sin- 

 gular and not unpleasant expression to the 

 whole. Northward, at the distance of half 

 a mile, and sQtne fifty feet lower, are twQ 

 small lakes. Beyond, on the right, a high 

 range of wood-land, dotted with farm houses, 

 orchards, groves, and in all directions, grass 

 and grain fields, showing a soil of thorough 

 cultivation, and a high degree of fertility. 



At the close of a half hour M. Fellenberg 

 joined me. He is about five feet eleven in 

 height, large and fleshy. His eyes and com- 

 plexion dark — his forehead far encroached 

 upon by the hair from above. The features 

 are rather heavy, though the countenance 

 beams with earnestness, benevolence, and 

 intelligence. His movements are rapid — in 

 a word, his bearing throughout, is that of a 



