30 



THE SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES 



been investigated. From that statement we learn 

 that at that period the number of Stations was : — 



In the various German States 



In Austria 



In Italy 



In Sweden 



In Denmark 



In Russia 



In Belgium 



In Holland 



In France 



In Switzerland 



In Spain 



Total 



74 

 16 

 10 



7 

 i 



3 

 3 



2 

 2 



3 



i 



122 



Thus, seven years ago there were 122 'Agricultural 

 Stations ' on the Continent of Europe, and the num- 

 ber has doubtless by this time considerably increased. 



Each of these Stations is under the direction of a 

 Chemist, frequently with one or more assistants. 

 One special duty of most of them is to examine or 

 analyse, and report upon, manures, seeds, or feeding- 

 stuffs, offered for sale to the farmer ; and it seems to 

 have been found to be the interest of the dealers in such 

 commodities, to submit their proceedings to a certain 

 degree of supervision by the Chemist of the Station 

 of their District. 



But agricultural research has also been a character- 

 istic feature of these institutions. It was stated in 

 the report referred to, that the investigation of soils 

 had been the prominent object at sixteen of them ; 

 experiments with manures at twenty-four ; vegetable 

 physiology at twenty-eight ; animal physiology and 

 feeding experiments at twenty ; vine culture and 

 wine making at thirteen ; forest culture at nine ; and 

 milk production at eleven. Others, according to their 

 locality, have devoted special attention to fruit 

 culture, olive culture, the treatment of moor, bog and 



