Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-02-25
Agricultural.


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increased attention given to related subjects
in the periodical literature of the day. Top
les relating to the farm are now made prom
inent feature in nearly all the newspapers and
magazines of general literature. The Febru-
airy number Of Scribner's contains an inter
esting article on the agricultural experiment
stations of Europe, with an account of their
more recent establishment in several of the
states of this country. The work of these
experimental stations is one of the most sub
stantial aids to the improvement Of agricul-
ture. According to Mr.. Barnard, the writer
of the article referred to, the first experiment
station established by farmers for their own
use was started by the Leipsic agricultural
society in 1852. DR.. Emil Wolff, assisted by
Mr.. Baehr, the farm manager, was placed in
charge of the station. Within two years an
other station was opened at Ohemnitz, and
from that time the number continued to in
crease till in 1872 there were sixty-two sta
tions in operation in Europe, and there has
been considerable increase in their number
since that time In England many private
farms have been used as experimental sta
tions.
The names Of Lawes and Gilbert are re-
garded with respect as being among the first
to demonstrate to the English farmer the val
ne of systematic scientific experiments Mr..
Lawes began, in 1S43, by experimenting with
plants in pots containing soils of his own
preparation. Subsequently he joined DR..
Gilbert, and started the experimental farm at
Rothamstead, with view to testing the theo-
ries of Baron Liebig in regard to the mineral
and organic food of plants, and to extending
the knowledge of plants in their relations to
soil. Besides the results of these expert
ments, they have published seventy papers
upon scientific agriculture as shown by their
experiments. Mr.. Lawes, it is reported, has
recently appropriated e1OO, 900 to carry on
the farm and laboratory as a permanent OK
pertinent station.
In 1870 commission was sent from Italy
to examine the German stations, and so IA
vorable was the report that four government
stations were at once established, and since
that time others have been started Stations
have also been established in other parts of
Europe, so that in 1879 there we're seventy
five in Germany, sixteen in Austria, ten in
Italy, six in Sweden, three each in Russia,
France and Switzerland, two in Belgium, and
one each in Holland, Denmark, Scotland and
Spain.
At these one hundred and twenty three
stations every kind of research is pursued
that may be of value to agriculture or horti-
culture, some stations devoting their attention
to a single aim, while others do a variety OF
work, according to the needs of their locality.
For instance, according to an admirable paper
on the subject by Prof. Samuel w. johnson
of the Connecticut experiment station, thir
teen of these stations are devoted to the study
of cattle-feeding, as at Weende, Proskau and
Milan some twenty-five to experiments or
the conditions of vegetable growth and the
action of manures, notably at Dahme anG
Ida-Marienhutte others to tobacco and wine
as al Csrlsruhe or Wiesbaden and Padua
Silk is considered at Udine, and at the sta
tions in Stockholm and Lodi experiments con
corning the dairy are made. Thirty stations
make examinations of commercial manures
and eighteen test the purity and vitality o
seeds. The aim of these seems to be to d.
the work best suited to each locality and Il
avoid clashing and thus doing the same worl
over twice at neighboring stations
These European stations are UNIVERSAL!
recognized as the most valuable aids to agri
culture, and thus to the state, ever devised
Their reports have attracted wide attention
and have saved millions of dollars to thei
local farming populations. They have detect
ed and driven out of the market adulterate
or fraudulent seeds and manures, pointed GU
the best ways of doing thousands of the com
mon labors of the farm, dairy, vineyard an
garden, and have been the indirect means O
reclaiming vast extents of sand-dunes, un
profitable plains and useless mountain lands
They have aimed directly TO benefit the pee
pie; 10 teach them how to save money an
make money, to defend their farms and crop
against harm, and TO bring the products c
the farm and garden to the market to tn
greatest advantage.
After showing what has been accomplishe
by the agricultural experiment stations {
Europe, the writer turns his attention to tn
country, and considers the value of the wor
already done by experiment stations here, an
that which is to be done by others soon to
established. This part of the subject is r.
served for another article in these columns.