Darwin Correspondence Project

German farmer and plant breeder. Studied agriculture at the Academy of Agriculture, Bonn-Poppelsdorf, 1861–3; economics, physics, and meteorology at Berlin, 1863–4. Caretaker of the domain Schlanstedt, 1865–8; co-leaseholder, 1868; leaseholder, 1877–1903. Landowner of manor Langenstein, 1892–1903. Co-founder of the Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft (German Agricultural Society). Developed new varieties of wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas, and sugar beets. Developed the first fertile wheat–rye cross (triticale) Received an honorary doctorate from Halle for his work in plant breeding.