Johann Friedrich Mayer (agriculturist)

Johann Friedrich Georg Hartmann Mayer ( born September 21, 1719 Herbsthausen, † March 17, 1798 in copper cell ) was a German priest and reformed as " gypsum Apostles" agriculture in Hohenlohe.

Life and work

Johann Friedrich Mayer was born the son of an innkeeper and mayor in Herbsthausen. After his theological training he had in 1741 held a pastorate in Riedbachstraße to 1745. From 1745 until his death in 1798 he was a Protestant pastor in copper cell.

In the garden of his parsonage pastor asked Mayer for many years agricultural trials and watched beside the farm work on the farms. In numerous writings Mayer told the peasants natural relationships in field crops and livestock. In addition to the dissemination of its findings through magazines and books Mayer advised princes and peasants. He made the Hohenlohe farmers familiar among others, the cultivation of them then unknown potato. Initially he recommended the potato only for cattle feeding, and later mainly for human consumption.

For better use of the fields Mayer suggested the farmers to replant their fallow land with clover. Thus they gained additional fodder for the recommended Mayer stabling of cattle. Desirable side effect of stabling was characterized by the accumulation of manure, which could serve as fertilizer on the fields. Also thanks to Mayer's proposals took to the livestock in Hohenlohe and was rewarding for the farmers. The cattle were sold under the name boeuf de Hohenlohe to France, especially to Paris. The improved three-field system, which is still the basis for agricultural processing, also goes back to Pastor Mayer. He advised the farmers to fertilize their fields with gypsum ( because of its Kalkreichtum ), compost, manure, slurry and road debris and so to resolve the partial lack of nutrients of the soil. The result was amazing, and Mayer was widely known under the name of gypsum apostles.

Among the most important writings Mayers was the textbook for the land and Haußwirthe (1773 ). In it, he presented plans for a type of house in which there is the rural residential area with the barn under one roof; the warmth of the house on the ground floor heated with the overlying living spaces. These so-called priest -Mayer- houses are mostly seen in the copper Zeller room today. The introduction of fodder and the cider fruit cultivation in the region date back to Pastor Mayer.

Through its advanced Bewirtschaftsungsmethoden Johann Friedrich Mayer is one of the most influential agricultural reformers of the late 18th century.

Mayer is also considered the most important revivalists during the sixties and seventies of the eighteenth century. In order to improve the social situation of the rural population, Mayer explains his readers not just about to changing agricultural practices on but is strongly committed and outspoken one for a change in the agrarian structure, calls for the abolition of forced labor and inveighs against hunting and pasture justices of the lord. The range of subjects treated by him is great. In addition to the wide variety of issues and problems that can be classified under the purely agricultural engineering etc. Topics cultivation, fertilization, harvesting, livestock, it goes in his writings again and again to social ethical and diaconal questions of his town. He is one of the few shortcomings with candor and frankness criticize not only where they can expect educated readers of the time, but - for example in the labor services - castigate also in writings for the people. Is typical for others, that social evils, rather than to appoint openly criticized the fact that the description of them better conditions, dutiful authorities and philanthropic landowner is opposed.

Works (selection)

• Textbook for the land and Haußwirthe in the pragmatic history of the whole country and Haußwirthschafft of Hohenlohe Schilling tables Office For The copper cell. Nuremberg in 1773. Reprinted with a contribution by K. Schumm. Schwäbisch Hall in 1980.
• Copper cell by the agriculture in the best prosperity. Leipzig 1793.