390 



FARMERS' REGISTER— AGRICULTURAL ESTABLISHMENTS. 



straight or sufficient channel below, will probably 

 rush over the land, and expose it to all the damage 

 which the owner will well deserve to sustain. If 

 on the contrary, the fall is inconsiderable, as in 

 the swamps before described, the lower land holder 

 could render ineifectual the draining of the land 

 just above. In such cases, a good vent to the wa- 

 ter below is highly important, and the want of it 

 may destroy half the benefit which might be de- 

 rived from the whole drainage. 



When streams are thus straightened, and their 

 sides kept clean and smooth, they will carry off 

 quantities of water that could not be kept within 

 the former stream, even if four or five times the 

 superficial extent. But I do not mean that inun- 

 dations will be altogetlier avoided, though they 

 will be comparatively rare — and when they oc- 

 cur, will be of short continuance. 



But there is an objection (and unfortunately a 

 very general one) to all such schemes of drainage. 

 Streams are generally made to serve as dividing- 

 lines between different properties, and that cir- 

 cumstance alone is sufficient in most cases, to pro- 

 hibit any rational scheme of drainage. When 

 lands were first taken up under the old patents, 

 and sold out without accurate surveying, a stream 

 was a very convenient land mark, because it could 

 not easily be changed or mistaken. But for the 

 drainage and proper cultivation of the lowground, 

 the stream is the worst dividing line that could Le 

 fixed upon. All my foregoing directions on this 

 subject must rest on the supposition tliat one per- 

 son owns both sides of the stream — or that the 

 different owners are willing to concur in the best 

 general plan of drainage, and in the exchange of 

 points of land cut off by the new carrier of the 

 water. Either of these cases is so rare, that I 

 must agree that the directions I have written are 

 almost useless, and an unprofitable waste of the 

 time of my readers, as well as my own. However, 

 should I find that any value is attached to my sug- 

 gestions, I may resume and finish my observations, 

 as at first designed. It remains to treat of side 

 drains, open or covered, intended to intercept 

 springs having their sources in the highlands. 



n. N. 



A GLANCE AT THE EXISTING ESTABLISHMENTS 

 FOR AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTION. 



Translated for the Farmers' Register from the " Journal i? Ag- 

 riculture dcs Pays Bas.^' 



At no epoch of modern times, have all the ad- 

 vantages which agriculture procures, been as well 

 understood as now. After thirty years of revolu- 

 tion and of war, this science, whose practice, so 

 innocent and so delightful, calms the ardor of am- 

 bition, preserves the serenity of the soul, and has 

 always been the cherished occupation of the wise, 

 receives at last r^al encouragements from most 

 governments. Among those who are distinguish- 

 ed, we ought to mention that of Wurtemburgand 

 that of Bavaria. In the first of these states, agri- 

 culture and horticulture make a part of primary 

 instruction. In this small kingdom, whose popu- 

 lation does not exceed 1,500,000, there are more 

 than three hundred and fifty schools in which these 

 sciences are taught. 



In Bavaria, the king and queen have taken un- 

 der their special protection all the establishments 



in which agriculture is taught. This protection 

 is not limited, as in many other countries, to use- 

 less and sterile eiicouragcments ; there these es- 

 tablishments are richly endowed by the bounty of 

 the government : [)remiums offered, and often dis- 

 tributed by the king himself. This homage ren- 

 dered to the first of arts, and these encouragements 

 decreed to those who profess them, do honor at 

 once to the sovereign who grants them, and to the 

 modest and interesting class of subjticts which re- 

 ceive them. 



For some years the government of France has 

 made great sacrifices to perfect the agriculture of 

 that vast kingdom, which possesses already many 

 establishments which may be cited as models in 

 the best cultivated countries. They exercise a 

 happy influence on the agriculture and rural econo- 

 my of the country. 



In the farm of Rambouillet, they put in practice 

 the best agricultural processes. This establish- 

 ment is distinguished above all for the finest breed 

 of domestic animals useful in agriculture. Not far 

 from these, the domain of Grignon, of the value 

 of more than a million of francs, paid from the royal 

 treasure, has been turned into a vast agricultural 

 establishment, intended to serve as a model, and to 

 train scholars. This will be, without doubt, one 

 of the monuments which will do most honor to the 

 reign of Charles X. 



To mention the establishment of Roville, near 

 Nancy, due to the celebrated Mathieu de Dom- 

 basle, who directs it with so much success, is to in- 

 dicate the utmost perfection to which practice, en- 

 lightened by sound theory, may be brought. 



M. de Domhasle (son of the one mentioned 

 above,) has founded a short time since, a farm near 

 Angers, like that of Roville. No one can doubt 

 the complete success of this establishment, which 

 will be a true benefit to the country. 



Near Nantes, a Belgian agriculturist is conduct- 

 ing a farm according to the Flemish system, with 

 great success. 



An English farmer, protected by the govern- 

 ment, has just founded an agricultural establish- 

 ment in Normandy. He makes use of impro- 

 ved ploughs, which he has imported from Eng- 

 land. 



In Berry, the Count de Gourey is occupied with 

 forming an agricultural establishment after the 

 Flemish method. He has brought from Belgium 

 ploughs, ploughmen and teams, with which he suc- 

 ceeds well. 



One might yet mention the agricultural estab- 

 lishments of Copet, near Geneva; that of the Duke 

 Decazes, near Libourne ; of M. de Pradt, in Au- 

 vergne ; of General Lafayette, at La Grange, ( De- 

 partment of Seine and Marne,) and many others, 

 which are equally interesting by the superiority of 

 the processes which they employ for the execution 

 of their works. 



Switzerland and Germany also offer many agri- 

 cultural establishments deserving notice: among 

 others, that of Hofwyl, near Berne, founded and 

 directed by M. de Fellenberg. All parts of what 

 is properly called agriculture, of rural economy, 

 and whatever relates to the improvement of agri- 

 cultural implements, are taught there with much 

 success. This celebrated institution receives scho- 

 lars from all parts of the old and new world. 



Near Hamburg, the Baron de Yosht directs a 

 very remarkable agricultural establishment : it is 



