122 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Col. Wilder. I could go through with this list, for it is all 

 fresh in my mind, althougli the circumstances occurred so many 

 years since, hut I will not detain you. It illustrates, however, 

 the importance of an examination of these articles hy some 

 institution like our Agricultural College, or by some authority 

 under the State in which these manures are sold. 



While I am up, Mr. President, ray friend, the president of the 

 college. Col. Clark, desires me to present to the audience a 

 specimen of soil which I brought from the Johannisberg vine- 

 yard, so po[)u]ar for its wine ; and I take great pleasure in 

 doing so at a moment when our distinguished friend. Prof. 

 Agassiz, is present, who can give you more information on the 

 subject than 1 possess. 



I wish here to say, lest some misapprehension inay have been 

 created by some remarks I made last evening, to the effect that 

 the grape mania had produced a glut of vines, so that the sale 

 was dull and there was a lull at tiiis time, that I did not wish 

 to have it understood that we had passed even the threshold in 

 planting grounds which are suitable for the growth of the vine, 

 or in supplying the population of the United States with grapes. 

 We have but just begun. 



I alluded yesterday to the visit I had made to the West, and 

 to the soils on the banks of the rivers, but I saw none like this 

 Johannisberg soil, so famous for making the best wine in the 

 world. It is so hard that the surface cannot be broken up ex- 

 cept with a heavy-pronged hoe. So tenacious is it, that I 

 allowed this piece to fall in the cars, and it did not break it. 

 This is the surface soil at Johannisberg. It seemed like baked 

 clay, only broken a little here and there to let in the atmosphere 

 by the pronged hoe ; and yet it produces the ftnest wine in the 

 world. Now I will call upon the Professor to tell us what the 

 characteristics of that soil are. 



Prof. Agassiz. About the soil of Johannisberg, I really know 

 nothing. I believe that in that region there is a good deal of 

 volcanic ashes, which are probably the essential foundation for 

 the fertility of the vineyards. 



But, gentlemen, I would like to say a few words more con- 

 cerning the clunnical i)rofessorship which is to be connected 

 with this Agricultural College. I do not know the gentleman 

 who has been ai)pointcd to fill that place, personally, but I know 



