SMALL INDUSTRIES AND INDUSTRIAL VILLAGES, 1/5 



the Black Sea, the petty trades' fabrication of agricultural 

 machinery, which has grown up lately, is another instance 

 in point 



The capacities of the Russian domestic industrial 

 workers for co-operative organisation would be worthy 

 of more than a passing mention. As to the cheapness 

 of the produce manufactured in the villages, which is 

 really astonishing, it cannot be explained in full by the 

 exceedingly long hours of labour and the starvation 

 earnings, because overwork (twelve to sixteen hours of 

 labour) and very low wages are characteristic of the 

 Russian factories as well. It depends also upon the 

 circumstance that the peasant who grows his own food, 

 but suffers from a constant want of money, sells the 

 produce of his industrial labour at any price. Therefore, 

 all manufactured goods used by the Russian peasantry, 

 save the printed cottons, are the production of the rural 

 manufactures. But many articles of luxury, too, are 

 made in the villages, especially around Moscow, by 

 peasants who continue to cultivate their allotments. 

 The silk hats which are sold in the best Moscow shops, 

 and bear the stamp of Nouveautes Parisiennes, are made 

 by the Moscow peasants ; so also the " Vienna " furniture 

 of the best " Vienna " shops, even if it goes to supply the 

 palaces. And what is most to be wondered at is not 

 the skill of the peasants agricultural work is no obstacle 

 to acquiring industrial skill but the rapidity with which 

 the fabrication of fine goods has spread in such villages 

 as formerly manufactured only goods of the roughest 

 description.* 



As to the relations between agriculture and industry, 

 one cannot peruse the documents accumulated by the 

 Russian statisticians without coming to the conclusion 

 that, far from damaging agriculture, the domestic trades, 

 on the contrary, are the best means for improving it, 



* Some of the produces of the Russian rural industries have lately bee.a 

 introduced in this country, and find a good sale. 



