the Austro-Huiif/ avian Empire. 381 



young Count keeps a pack of harriers, and is fond of England, 

 English people, English horses, and English dogs. The country 

 is rich, and the scenery varied and pleasantly cool and fresh after 

 the parched plains of Hungary. 



One district of this estate, known as iVeorad, 320 acres in 

 extent, was all reclaimed from a lake. This is not uncommon 

 in Moravia and Bohemia. The lakes were often artificially 

 formed in the first place for fishing, and were subsequently laid 

 dry and again brought under the plough. 



Count Larisch employs Hungarian working cattle, but does not 

 confine himself to this race. The young Count showed me his 

 own beautiful herd of Bernese cows, all similar to those described 

 in my first Report. The average yield of these cows was stated 

 to be 1400 to 1500 mass per annum, or 436 to 467 gallons. 

 The ordinary cattle of the country are crossed with Bernese 

 bulls. A shorthorn bull is also kept here, and Dutch and Olden- 

 burg cows. All the work in the cow-byres is done by women. 



Merino sheep are kept, and appear to be managed much in 

 accordance with the practice described as obtaining in Hungary. 

 The sheep stock, although large, is being gradually reduced, as it 

 is not found remunerative. This can scarcely be wondered at 

 when the merino yields but little mutton, and in this, as well as 

 many other cases, only 3 English lbs. of wool. 



There is a great scarcity of agricultural labourers, owing to the 

 inducement of high wages at the pits. The miners work 8 hours 

 and make 3^. per day, while farm labourers make 25. to 35. in 

 summer and less in the winter. 



With regard to sugar-beet, I saw little that was new. Eleven 

 per cent, is the estimated yield of sugar from the beet, and the pulp 

 is largely used for feeding purposes. Herr Staniek supported 

 what I had already heard by saying, that " lung diseases were 

 not known before the introduction of distillery wash and sugar- 

 beet pulp as foods." 



Bohemia. 



A four hours' run brought me back to Prerau, and from thence 

 I journeyed to Olmutz through a beautiful country, mostly in pea- 

 sant occupation — undulating and fertile. Olmutz is situated in 

 the Hanau. The hills on the right are wooded to the summits, 

 and industriously cultivated up to the woods, while a fine flat 

 tract stretches away to the left. Journeying towards Pardubitz, 

 the hills gradually approach both sides of the line, which then 

 passes through a highly picturesque defile of steep wooded moun- 

 tains. Peasant-proprietors appear to hold all this beautiful 

 district, and their square homesteads are built upon a similar 



