380 Report on the A(jriciiltnre of 



me a splendid drive round the estate. We passed through much 

 peasant-land ; but, as in almost all places visited, the manage- 

 ment of the peasant could not compare with that of the prince. 

 Peasants here own 85 to 140 acres of land, and the district 

 is pretty equally divided between them and the large proprietors. 

 At Holleschau 50 acres is the area usually owned by a peasant, 

 and the larger share of the land is held by the aristocracy. In 

 this part of the empire the peasants live in homesteads built upon 

 their own little properties, and are not congregated in villages 

 as in Hungary. The estate of Karwin is one hour's drive from 

 Oderberg, and extends fi'om the Carpathians to the river Oder, 

 a distance of about 9 English miles. It comprises 17,582 acres. 

 Of this, close upon 13,000 acres are in arable cultivation ; 3800 

 are in wood, and the remainder in pasture and waste. The estate 

 is under the management of the central director, Herr Staniek, and 

 there are besides two estate directors, a steward, and assistant 

 .steward for each district, and a " rent meister." The rotation 

 followed varies with the character of the soil. On the light 

 land potatoes, dunged, are followed with rye or barley ; 3rd 

 year, clover ; 4th year, clover ; 5th year, rye, limed, or half- 

 dunged ; 6th year, oats. On the heavy land potatoes, or sugar- 

 beets, are followed by barley or wheat ; 3rd year, clover ; 4th 

 year, clover ; 5th year, rape, limed ; 6th year, wheat. A mix- 

 ture of vetches and oats for fodder is also often sown upon the 

 heavier land. The tillage is effected by 280 horses and 290 

 bullocks, and English implements are very much used for 

 drilling, reaping, and threshing. Two to three hundred cattle 

 are annually fatted, and upwards of 9000 sheep are kept ; but 

 for further particulars as to stock and crop, I must refer the 

 reader to the Table given on pp. 388-89, in which several 

 estates are compared in these respects. 



Count Larisch possesses a remarkably fine stud of English 

 horses, under the management of English grooms, as is usually 

 the case both here and in Hungary. The thoroughbred stal- 

 lion Richmond is there, and has been of much service. I also 

 saw Caroline^ a fine chestnut mare, purchased in England for 

 350Z ; also Dauntless, Favourite, and a number of fine young 

 horses then preparing for the great Vienna Horse Show (1873). 

 The Count breeds 160 foals a-year, and the stables at the Castle 

 are well stocked with home-bred and imported horses. 



I would fain have stayed longer at Karwin, as the young Count 

 was at home, and disposed to show me everything in his power. 

 There is in fact much to see, as there are extensive collieries, a 

 sugar factory, distillery and brewery, all managed from the cen- 

 tral office. Iron-stone also occurs on the estate, and it is the 

 intention to develope a great centre of industry at Karwin. The 



