AUSTRIA. 



AUSTIN A. 



in 



dutricte of the Venetian territory. Thu elected surface, which 

 embraces one-third t least of the Lombardo- Venetian soil, contain* 

 th fertile valleys of the Adda, Piave, Tagliamento, and other leal 

 oouidenble streams. Nearly in the middle of the magnificent plain 

 which lie* between the foot of the Alps and the left bank of the Po 

 rixii the picturesque chain of the Kuiianean hills, which have no con- 

 nection with any part of the Alps themselves, nor does any summit 

 attain an elevation of 1800 feet. The plain itself descends gently to 

 the margin of the Po, which is its southern limit as respects Lombardy 

 and Venice ; whilst its eastern slope to the Adriatic coast is so gradual 

 a* to form almost a complete level The land is fertilised by artificial 

 irrigation : in the west in particular the soil consists of a thick coat 

 of loam or mould ; but at its eastern extremity, especially in the 

 vicinity of the mouth of the Po, the surface changes to extensive 

 swamps and marshes. The maritime districts on the Adriatic are 

 flat and sandy, and abound in lakes of stagnant water, which have 

 been gradually created by the numerous streams which seek an outlet 

 in this direction. The climate is in general mild and temperate, 

 though in severe winters the thermometer has descended 20 degrees of 

 Fahrenheit below the freezing point; snow has been known to lie 

 upon the ground for weeks ; and even the lagunes of Venice at times 

 have been coated with ice. In Lombardy however the distinguishing 

 feature of the winter season is the continued recurrence of heavy 

 rains, which last two months at a time or more. The air of the high- 

 lands is keen and bracing. On the whole, except the parts in \vlm-h 

 the marsh or ' lagune ' predominates, the climate of Lombardy and 

 Venice is unquestionably salubrious. The soil in addition to most of 

 the usual sorts of grain produces maize, rice, and millet ; peas, beans, 

 potatoes, hemp, and flax ; vegetables and fruits of all kinds, which are 

 become almost necessaries of life in this climate ; and in some parts 

 saffron. Rich as Lombardy in particular is in pasture land, there is 

 scarcely a poaseesion of the Austrian crown where the rearing of 

 cattle is in general more neglected ; we must however exclude from 

 this remark the districts which produce the celebrated Parmesan and 

 Strachina cheeses. There is no branch of industry more carefully or 

 profitably cultivated than the raising and manufacture of silk ; the 

 Alpine districts, too, yield considerable quantities of iron, copper, 

 coal, marble, and other minerals. 



The following tables will show the extent, distribution, and occu- 

 pation of the productive land in the Austrian Empire in 1846 : 



DISTRIBUTION or THE PBODUCTIYE LAUD i ENGLISH ACRES. 



Under the arable land 161,605 acres are included, which were 

 devoted to the growth of rice chiefly in Lombardy and Venice, the 

 Military Frontiers, Dalmatia, and other district* of the south. The 

 total number of acres employed in the olive plantations was 61,158. 



The beet-root is very much cultivated, and many factories have 

 been established for the extraction of the sugar. Hops are grown 

 extensively, and on many of the larger farms are distilleries and 

 tireweries. 



Among the commercial product* we may mention tobacco, that 

 raised in the south of Hungary being accounted by some the beat 

 which is grown in Europe ; an excellent kind is also produced in 

 Slavonia, Transsylvania, and Oalicia; a considerable quantity Imt of 

 inferior quality is raised in Styria, the Tyrol, Lombardy, and 

 other districts. In 1849 there were made in Austria (not IndndfaM 

 Hungary) about 41,000 cwt. of snuff, 272,000 cwt of tobacco, and 

 181,964,394 bundles of cigars; and in Hungary about 5900 cwi. of 

 snuff, 80,000 cwt of tobacco, and 994,875 bundles of cigars. 



Hemp is grown largely in Moravia, Lombardy, Tranasylvania, 

 Silesia, Styria, Bohemia, Carniolo, and the Tyrol, and of inferior 

 quality in Hungary. Flax of fine quality is raised in Lombardy and 

 Silesia ; considerable quantities of a somewhat inferior kind are raised 

 in Moravia, Bohemia, Styria, the Upper Ens, Hungary, and Caruiola. 

 Indigo, anil, madder, and other dyes, with rhubarb, liquorice, Hpikunard, 

 K< ntiun, and other medicinal roots are also grown to some extent. 

 Iceland moss is collected in considerable quantities on the Carpathian 

 Mountains, where it grows in masses of five and six feet in height 



The cultivation of fruit U carried to a great extent in every part of 

 Austria, with the exception of Galicia; the best descriptions aro 

 raised in the Archduchy, Styria, the Tyrol, Moravia, Bohemia, Cracow, 

 lllyria, Lombardy, Croatia, Slavonia, and Transsylvania. V> 

 forests of plums and damsons are to be met with in Hungary ; and a 

 large quantity of land is devoted to the produce of the former alone 

 in the Slavonian circle of Syrmia, where is annually manufactured a 

 great amount of Slivavitza (or Kaky), a brandy extracted from the 

 plum and damson, which is a favourite beverage among the Slavo- 

 nians, and is also made in the Archduchy and Hungary ; filberts and 

 chestnuts, figs and almonds, are the growth of Lombardy and most of 

 the southern provinces ; currants and raisins are exported from 

 Dalmatia and the adjacent islands ; and the grenade, pomegranate, 

 lime, lemon (which is extensively grown in the Tyrol, Lombardy and 

 Venice, lllyria, and Dalmatia), orange, date, and aloe are natives of 

 some of the southern and south-eastern provinces. In these parts the 

 olive is likewise cultivated largely. Melons are extensively cultivated 

 in Lombardy, Venice, and especially in Hungary. 



Of what is deemed the available soil of the Austrian dominions, 

 one third part is occupied by woods and forests; and it will therefore 

 naturally occur to every reader that wood must constitute one of the 

 staple productions. The more level districts grow the oak, beech, 

 ash, older, elm, poplar, lime or linden, birch, willow, and plane ; 

 whilst the fir, pine, larch, cedar, and yew, and, where these will not 

 thrive, the dwarf-pine and juniper seek the more elevated regions. 

 The Bakony forest in Hungary, which is above 50 miles long, and 

 from 10 to 25 miles broad, and the Draganesch in lllyria, as well as the 

 forests of the Buckowine, Slavonia, and Dalmatia, abound in oaks of 

 extraordinary dimensions, and would afford inexhaustible resources 

 to a state like England. The quantity of wood felled in 1846 

 amounted to 42,632,000 klafters, or about 5,316,600 loads. Among 

 the products of the Austrian forests we may name potashes, which 

 are chiefly made in Hungary, Galicia, and the Buckowine, Moravia, 

 the Archduchy, and Bohemia, Tar, charcoal, gall-apples, and turpen- 

 tine should be added to this enumeration of the products of the 

 Austrian forests, though they are not of considerable moment 



The quantity of wine annually made in the Austrian territory averages 

 upwards of 600,000,000 gallons. Hungary, Lombardy mid Veni 

 Archduchy, Traussylvania, Styria and tin- Tyro], Illyrm. Dalmatia, 

 and Moravia are the chief wine countries ; but a considerable quantity 

 is made in Bohemia. Six-sevenths of the wine made in the Austrian 

 dominions is consumed by the inhabitants themselves. 



In 1836 the number of domestic animals was estimated at 

 2,670,921 horses, 2,847,048 oxen, and 4,053,257 cows in Austria, and 

 1,000,000 oxen and cows in Hungary and Transsylvania, and 27,341,768 

 sheep, of which above 20,000,000 belonged to Hungary and Transsyl- 

 vania. The finest breeds of horses are reared in Transsylvania and 

 the Buckowine; they are well formed, and of Turkixh descent: the 

 Hungarian are of slender make, and commonly much below fifteen 

 hands, their greatest height ; but they are a swift and durable race of 

 animals. The Galician breed, with the exception of the few of Polish 

 blood which are bred in the circles of Zloczoff and Brzerany, are of 

 still more diminutive sice, and in general trained from a wild state; 

 but they are remarkably hardy, as well as swift-footed. The Bohemian 

 and Moravian horse is principally adapted for agricultural purposes, 

 whilst the breed reared in the Archduchy, Styria, and Carinthia are 

 of M rang and powerful make, fitted for private use and military 

 service ; but the stock of the Utter is by no means sufficient. In 

 fact, the supply of horses in the Austrian dominions is so inadequate 

 to the demand, that they are compelled to import carriage-horses, as 

 well as remounts for the cavalry. Lombardy takes the lead in sup- 

 plying mule* and asses, and conjointly with Venice possesses a stock 



