102 LETTER-FILES OF S. W. JOHNSON 



meeting its refutation, both in the laboratory and in the field. 

 I may confidently ask, where better than in our own country 

 shall this idea find its realization? The scholars of Europe 

 often say to the American : Science can only flourish under 

 the patronage of Royalty. But they mistake — our country, 

 just arrived at manhood, has indeed been so absorbed in its 

 owTi growth that it could ill spare effort for great scientific 

 achievements, and yet within the last twenty years, even the 

 self-complacent philosophers of France and Germany have 

 been obliged to be amazed at the contributions to science we 

 have sent over to them from what they are pleased to call 

 our back woods. Our country now has the strength of the 

 oldest nations with all the freshness of youth. She is girding 

 herself up to contest among the nations for the prize of 

 science. What worthier triumph for our republic than to win 

 for her millions the boon of a rational agriculture? 



Two notes from a friend in Germany which clearly 

 refer to the ' ' University of Albany ' ' are added here : 



Miinchen, July 7th/56. — Liebig is again working on some- 

 thing to be published against Lawes, and wishes to know 

 whether you are willing to translate and get it published in 

 the U. S. (probably in an agl. paper). He has almost made 

 up his mind to go to the U. S. and set up a model farm and 

 ag. school, provided one of the states will furnish him with 

 the land and funds. I had a long talk with him on the 

 subject. 



Berlin, Nov. 23rd, 1856. — ... a very small note to ask 

 whether you got that book of Liebig 's which I sent by post 

 from Berlin about two months ago? In the letter which was 

 in the package, 1 told you of Liebig 's design and firm inten- 

 tion to emigrate to the United States, if he could get a grant 

 of land from the State of New York for the purpose of an 

 Agr. School ; his reasons etc. I explained at length. 



