The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-03
The Grange Abroad.

The Grange Abroad.
LONDON, March ga few weeks
spent in Europe, to make observation
from farmers standpoint, may have
served to collect some facts concering
agriculture and cooperative associations
on this side the Atlantic, and the prob
abilities of some day introducing gran
ges into Great Britain and the CONT
nent, which may interest at least a por-
ton Of your readers if placed on record
in the columns of the World. So, accord
ing to promise, this and a few succeed
ing letters shall contain some items con-
corning this voyage in mid winter, the
duties with which the writer has been
for short time intrusted in the inter-
est Of our grange cause, and observa-
tons On various matters, but chiefly
those bearing upon the immediate OBJ
jects Of the first grange mission to Eu-
rope-such items in brief, as we hope
may not weary the patience Of those
who choose to read them.
AGRICULTURAL NOTES ON GERMANY.
Leaving New York, January 18th, we
arrived at Hamburg on the 9th. De-
laying but day in that busy city, I
FASTENED by rail l 20 miles to Berlin, and
to see something of the country the
journey was made in daylight. The
main points Of interests observed in an
agricultural point of view were:
l. Very little winter grain was seen
growing, and what little there was had
by no means a vigorous appearance.
?. No very fresh ploughing appeared,
but some land was evidently lying fallow
from fall ploughing.
3. Large tracts near the Elbe were ex-
tensively ditched for drainage.
t. Many fields were already thickly
dotted with piles of compost ready to be
used for fertilizing in the approaching
teamwork of spring.
5. Along this route, and throughout
most of northern Germany, but few for
,sts are seen, and they are Of very limit
ed extent. The trees are small in
comparison with ours, and are usually
birches, elms and frs. Oaks are rare
md not large. In quite number of
forests and parks the only ones | saw
we're a large white oak at Tegel, the
lome of Alexander and William Won
Humboldt, and several smaller ones in
he parks planted by Frederick the
Great near the Sans Souci at Potsdam.
am informed by good authority that
I'll the forest trees now seen in their
woods and groves are not Of native
growth, but planted by former genera
ions, certainly most encouraging fact
% induce extensive tree planting on our
'ast bare prairies, such as are in ILL.,
lois, Nebraska, California and else
where.
A large part of the country lying be-
:ween Hamburg and Berlin is very san-
ly, and appears sterile and uninviting.
I am told it will make but small returns
20 the labors of the husbandman with.
>ut the most thorough culture and sys.
fertilizing. Evidently Prussian,
md indeed all German farmers, have
naturally much inferior soil to ours
rom which to draw their products
This very poverty of their soil has, nc
loubt, stimulated them to make thei'
,ystems Of culture all the more thorough
md has made more numerous among
hem agricultural colleges, schools anc
stations, that the true science Of agri
culture may be more fully learned and
aught.
Had not private interest taken me te
Germany, the many pleasant and IN
tructive episodes of Berlin sightseeing
which always add to the attractions of ,
european jaunt. however hurried, would
been lost. But once there, it was
90 good an opportunity to lose for col
Getting such facts and statistics concern
ng the agricultural interests of Germa.
~ as might be of some practical value
our people, and aid me more effect
tally to carry out the general objects O
ny mission for the grange.
It is we'll known among US that NJ
ivilized nation has reached so high ;
legree of perfection III the general ane
borough education of her people AZ
Prussia. As IL natural consequence thu
means provided for developing solid ag
icultural knowledge and for the proper
raining and eleyating of those who are
spend their Ii. ee in so truly noble ar
rs agriculture, in its severa
ranches, have attained an excellence
,ot to be found as vet elsewhere, unless
indeed, it be in Japan, as described by
1orace Capron.
So availiny myself, while in Berlin, OF
kind introduction by Professor Henry
the Smithsonian, one of my forme,
instructors at Princeton, and through
he courtesy of Mr.. Davis, our Ameri,
an minister, of education. and Dr.
'riedenthal, minister Of agriculture
through their courtesies and by CONVEX.
atoms with DR.. Wittmack, curator OF
le fine agricultural museum at Der.
n, and Herr VIM. Bottcher, who has
,r thirty years been connected with the
department Of the Prussian
axernment. I enio1nd the satisfaction