THE CONDITIONS OF RUSSIAN AGRICULTURE 187 



grain ; that is to say it is shallow ploughed and the seed sown. 

 Seldom is the soil enriched by the addition of manure, because 

 there is little available; moreover, it not infrequently happens 

 that towards the end of winter, when the stock of fuel is 

 exhausted, part of the thatching from the roof, as well as the 

 manure that has been saved, is burned in the stove to keep the 

 cottage warm. 



Agricultural work in connexion with summer grain proceeds 

 during six or seven weeks following St. George's Day and 

 during that time, as well as throughout the open season, the 

 peasant labours on the extensive grain-raising lands of the land- 

 owner, in lieu of paying him rent for the ground he works for 

 himself. When the spring sowing is completed the fallow land 

 is ploughed up and made ready for autumn sowing; this takes 

 until about the end of June. Following this comes haymaking 

 and harvest commences about the middle of July, lasting until 

 the end of August. Hay is mown by small scythes and the 

 standing crops of grain are cut by reaping-hooks. Men reap 

 and women and children twist the bands and tie the crop into 

 small sheaves, which are subsequently carted to the village 

 threshing-floor, where the grain is removed in the old style by 

 means of the flail. During September winter grain is sown and 

 provision is made for the oncoming winter. 



Into this programme of events there must be read the celebra- 

 tion of religious feasts and saints' days, all of which take time. 

 Russian peasants are not contented with fifty-two Sabbaths 

 during the year; they celebrate some 150 holy days in addition 

 and so great is their love of idleness that besides keeping the 

 holy days of their own village they will frequently leave work 

 and go to the celebration of a saint's day in a neighbouring 

 place. This means that much of the available time during the 

 open months of the year is devoted to religious idleness. 



Although the eastern provinces are primarily a grain-pro- 

 ducing district, some considerable quantity of flax is grown in 

 the north-east in the neighbourhood of Viatka and the organisa- 

 tion of co-operative societies in the district beside the Volga 

 between Yaroslavi and Kazan has made it possible for the 

 small farmers to carry on dairy farming profitably and to export 

 butter and large quantities of eggs. It may not be known 

 generally that about half the eggs imported into Great Britain 

 come from Russia, some thousand million annually. 



