The Forests of Russia and their Products. 401 



barge of very primitive construction, and has probably preserved the 

 same form and general arrangement which characterized it a thousand 

 years ago. These vessels are of enormous size, flat-bottomed, very 

 little labour, and that of the roughest description, being employed in 

 their construction. Some of them are able to carry a cargo of 2,000 

 tons, while drawing very little water. The so-called hdlanas have 

 sometimes a capacity equal to that of a ship of the line, and are 

 particularly adapted for carrying the produce of the country down 

 the rivers to the seaports. The basis, or keel, of these barges is 

 the large trunk of the pine, of which the strongest side-branches 

 are left, and serve as ribs to the boat ; the planks that cover the ribs 

 are smashed merely with the axe, and made fast with_ strong wooden 

 pins about three quarters of an inch in diameter and 7 in. long, 

 this imparts elasticity to the body of the vessel, a quality which is 

 found essential in the intricate navigation of the Russian rivers. 

 The timber consumed in the construction of these rude specimens of 

 naval architecture is something enormous, as they are only meant to 

 serve for one voyage down the Volga, or the other numerous rivers of 

 Russia. Arriving at their destination, and after unloading the cargo, 

 these barges are sold for a mere song, something like £10 each, and 

 are broken up ; the ribs being sawn up for firewood, and the boards 

 used in the construction of sheds, outhouses, &c. 



We now pass from the rural indications to those performed by 

 hona fide craftsmen in regularly conducted workshops, which are 

 numerously established in the capitals and most of the provincial 

 towns throughout the empire. It should be borne in mind that the 

 Russian common man is a very great adept at imitation, and exceed- 

 ingly dexterous in handicrafts, and does wonderfully well under a 

 strict foreign, particularly German * master. The workers in wood 

 manufacture everything that is made in Western Europe, there are 

 therefore carpenters, joiners, cabinet-makers, &c., who work for wages ; 

 piece-work in these trades is not known. The articles of wood 

 exhibited at the last St. Petersburg exhibition were unfortunately few, 

 comparatively speaking, when we consider that that material is a 

 staple commodity of Russia. There were only three exhibitions of 

 coopers' work, two from St. Petersburg, and one, Anders Lind, of Abo, 

 in Finland, whose casks, barrels, &c., were acknowledged to be the 

 best. Mr. Beliayeff, of St. Petersburg, and Messrs. Armsted, Mitchell, 

 and Co., of Riga, exhibited some fine specimens of house fittings 

 manufactured by machinery. Specimens of parquette flooring were 

 also shown, the work of which was pronounced to be very satis- 

 factory and the prices moderate. Parquette for rich and elaborate 



* Nearly all the best joinery and cabinet-making establishments in the capitals belong to 



Germans. 



