SMALL RURAL INDUSTRIES 139 



§ 2. General view of the rural industries of servia. 



The small rural industries of Servia may be divided into two large 

 classes : those the sole purpose of which is to supply the family engaged in 

 them with the necessities of Hfe, and those carried on for purposes of trade. 

 The first class is disappearing, as improved means of communication are 

 bringing more and more within the reach of the people the manufactured 

 goods and agricultural produce of which they have need, and such industries 

 are now almost confined to mountain districts and some isolated 'villages . 

 On the contrary, the industries carried on with a view to selling the produce, 

 are making progress every day, on account of the profits they give. Amongst 

 those directly connected with agriculture, let us especially mention, orchard 

 cultivation, sericiculture, livestock improvement and tapestry making. We 

 shall give some particulars in regard to each of these. 



§ 3. Orchard cultivation. 



The cultivation of fruit trees generally is a very important source 

 of the national wealth of Servia. According to the estimates of the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, the revenue derived from the export of the various pro- 

 duce of fruit trees in 1910 was 14,000,000 francs and the value of the total 

 annual yield is about 30,000,000 frs. 



The law of 1898, for the improvement of fruit tree cultivation, has 

 largely contributed to the development of this industry. This law orders 

 that each district must have a nursery garden for fruit trees of an area 

 of at least 5 hectares. These nurseries must be organized and managed in 

 accordance with the latest requirements of agricultural technique. Young 

 trees as well as vines, must be sold at very low prices to the inhabitants of 

 the district. Also every year practical courses of instruction must be given 

 in fruit tree cultivation and basket making. Every commune must send at 

 least two pupils to attend these courses, and maintain them at its cost, 

 unless pupils present themselves who are wiUing to pay their own expenses. 

 In addition, the superintendents of the nurseries must give practical lec- 

 tures in the various parts of their district, in which they must above all 

 deal with fruit cultivation. 



The fruits most cultivated in Servia are plums, apples, pears and walnuts. 

 A larger area is covered by plum trees than by any other fruit tree. Accord- 

 ing to ofiicial statistics, the area planted with plum trees increased between 

 19CO and 1909 from 100,540 hectares to 141,180 hectares and yielded about 

 25,000,000 frs. a year. 



Of the total crop of plums, a comparatively small amount is exported 

 fresh to foreign markets, especially to Germany. These are the finest 

 fruit, gathered by hand, before they are quite ripe. A second portion, 

 the largest, is made into prunes or a sort of jam called pekmes. Ivastly, 



