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agricultural science.
591
observations on agriculture, made special investigations concerning "Those native
Plants which, in the absence of Cereals, might be employed in the preparation
of Bread and Food", and a pupil of his, And. Joh. Retzius (1742—1821),
continued his master’s labours by a work entitled "An Attempt to draw up a Flora
Oeconomica" and, furthermore, contributed to the knowledge of the history of
domestic animals by an essay entitled "Studies on Horned Cattle", based on
discoveries in the Skåne peat-mosses. Later on, J. J. Berzelius (1779—1848),
in his lectures on animal chemistry in the years 180(3—08, established this
branch of study on its present basis. The half century from 1720—1770,
termed politically the "Period of Liberty", was fairly rich in literature in the
domain of agricultural science, the efforts made for the promotion of this
subject being sometimes really remarkable. A prominent place is taken by
J. G. Wallerius (1709 — 85), Professor of Chemistry, whose treatise, "The
Chemical Principles of Agriculture", gives him a place as a pioneer in agricultural
chemistry and proves him at the same time to have been far ahead of his age.
Another work of his gives us a very complete "Theory of Soils"; he knew,
moreover, how to apply his knowledge to practical farm-work, some account
of which he has given us in his "Thirty Years’ Observations on Farming".
In the "Economic Annals", published by the Academy of Sciences, there
frequently appeared during this period scientific papers on various branches of
rural economics, while the ideas of the period on the practice of this industry
found expression in such writings as E. Salander’s (1699—1764) "Instructions,
to Farm-bailiffs" (1727), Jan Brauner’s "Ideas and Experiments on Fields and
Meadows" (1752) or "Ideas on the Rearing of Cattle" (1756), E. G.
Boije’s-(1698—1769) "The Experienced Swedish Farmer" (1756), K. Dahlmans "The
Swedish Dairy-maid" (1772), the journal entitled "The Journal" (begun 1781),
J. af Darelli’s (1756—1834) "Rules for Bailiffs and the Farm-yard" (1799), N.
v. Tome’s "Farming in Systematic Order" (1801—14), etc.
Rationally studied theory in agriculture, however, cannot be said to have
really laid a definite impress upon the practical work of farming in the country,
until, during the fourth decade of the last century, the new movements in
agricultural respects in England and Germany and the ever increasing literature
that those new movements brought in their train began to make themselves
felt in Sweden too. Edv. Nonnen (1804—62), a pupil of Thaer, may be said
to have been the first to have made a more scientific study of farming feasible
by founding, in 1833, the first agricultural college, that of Degeberg, as also
by means of his lectures and pamphlets; in many departments he proved himself
to be singularly successful as a pioneer. Alexis Noring (1799—1844)
introduced into Sweden the new principles adopted in England at that period in the
breeding of stock, and edited a number of serial publications, amongst which
"The Quarterly Review of Agriculture and Stock-keeping" (1836—41), and his
"Handbooks" on the same branches, bear eloquent witness to the very extensive
and fruitful industry he devoted to these subjects. Joseph Fogg, an Englishman,
laboured during the same period in the branch of cattle-rearing, by his very
widely read "Handbook on Cattle-Breeding" (1836—41). — Finally, John Teofil
Nathorst (1794—1862), also a pupil of Thaer, came to the front as early as
1825, by winning a prize with his "Handbook on the Knowledge of Wool and
the Rearing of Sheep", and again, in 1832, with another prize work entitled:
"Suggestions on Teaching-Establishments for Agriculture"; later on, he was
exceedingly active in the capacity of Secretary at the Academy of Agriculture, not
only as a writer but also as an organizer.
While the theory of farming had at this period been developed on
approximately the principles which must still be considered, in the main, as the
correct ones, the more technical details of the science in actual practice were
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