506
EXPOSITION AT VIENNA.
shine as an author. He excuses himself for repetition by quoting two maxims—" drops of water wear a stone away, not by their weight or size, but by repeated blows,” and " the truth can never be repeated enough, for by repetition alone it impresses.”
Mr. Horsky was born 29th September, 1801, and his father was without property. The report contains an interesting account of his life, which I shall here very greatly condense, expecting later to place it before the public in full. He was instructed in a private school, passed three years in the office of a large estate of a prince, and at the same time was occupied in practical agriculture, having two farms under his charge; was later a special student in an agricultural college for three years, where he graduated with high honors. From that time he was for a number of years an executive officer of high, and finally of the highest rank, on various estates of the nobility, his services being much sought after.
When, in 1829, he was made director of a princely estate, he first began his experiments on the rotation of crops, which he later said "is an essential part of successful agriculture.”
He says :—
“ The result of mj’ labors for six years on the estate of Kornhaus, as compared with those of the previous period, are thus shown :—
»■ Whole return
In money (gold).
Yield of rye on the average per acre, taking the whole area:
Average of the years from 1792 to 1798,14.90 bushels, $14,630
Average of the years from 1822 to 1828, before' my
management, 10.38 bushels, .... 7,070
In 1834, the sixth year of my management, 11.80 bush., 14,140 ”
This shows us the products of land, when in good condition before it has been exhausted, the products after it has been exhausted, and finally that the application of scientific knowledge to agriculture, can regain much that ignorance has lost, and that, although it is a slow and difficult task to restore to nature what man has taken from it, we are thus constantly doing a most successful and noble work.
As early as 1835, Mr. Horsky adopted the system of "rotation of crops,” and to this day adheres to that same practice, thus proving it to be indispensable.