BOHEMIA. 



BOHEMIA. 



Forest, on the Ore, and Giant Mountains, those lands along the banks 

 of the Elbe, particularly from Kunieritzerberge to Koniggratz, which 

 are coated with drift sand, and in some of the districts where swamps 

 abound. The rest of the low country is in general rich and pro- 

 ductive, particularly the province of Saatz. No soil in Bohemia is 

 however more fertile than that which has been formerly the site of 

 large sheets of water, its deep black loam being highly favourable to 

 the growth of wheat, rye, aud barley. Bohemia produces almost 

 every description of grain aud pod seeds, but no maize. The culti- 

 vation of the soil is however susceptible of great improvement. The 

 land is divided into estates of vast magnitude ; and the peasantry are 

 held in servitude and derive little benefit from their labour, and con- 

 sequently feel little interest in it. The quantity of arable land in 1846 

 was 6,105,995 acres ; of meadow and garden ground 1,421,072 acres ; 

 of pasture land 997,575 acres ; of vineyards 4462 acres ; and of forests 

 and woodland 3,758,987 acres. The quantity of wheat raised in 1846 

 was 1,234, 126 quarters; of rye 2,999,345 quarters; of barley 1,703,687 

 quartern; of oats 2,834,169 quarters; and of potatoes 31,034,349 

 bushels. Among other productions flax is grown in every circle, but 

 of various qualities, and hemp is raised in some few quarters ; vege- 

 , nuts, liquorice-root, chicory, excellent hops, Ac. ; rape-seed is 

 also largely cultivated for the sake of the oil.' Fruit abounds in all 

 part* except the more elevated districts ; the vine is only cultivated 

 along the valleys of the Elbe and Moldau. The finest orchards, or 

 groves of fruit-trees, exist in the vicinity of Neustndt above 

 the Mettau ; whole woods of plum-trees are met with near Melcho- 

 wek, Weltrua, and other spots. Bohemia is in fact a large exporting 

 country for apples, quinces, dried plums, pears, cherries, &c., though 

 leu so than formerly. Bohemia is celebrated for aij excellent kind of 

 hops, of which the produce is considerable ; those grown in the pro- 

 vince of Saatz, and next to these the hops cultivated iu the provinces 

 of Kakonitz, Bunzlau, and Pilsen, are in highest esteem : a consider- 

 able quantity is annually exported. Beet is cultivated to some extent 

 in order to meet the growing demand for the beet-root sugar manu- 

 facture. The border mountain ranges, from which however some of 

 those which adjoin Moravia must be excluded, contain rich supplies 

 of timber and fuel. Koasee, particularly the Iceland sort, herbs, 

 grasses, and medicinal plants, many of them of rare occurrence 

 elsewhere, are plentiful in the mountain regions. 



Bohemia has a very superior breed of horses. This breed, though 

 not of large *\-/.i; has undoubtedly the advantage over that of any 

 immediately adjacent country from its loftier stature and finer limbs : 

 the number is about 150,000. The supply of horned cattle, amounting 

 to about 250,000 oxen and 700,000 cows, is not adequate to the home 

 demand. The native race is in general small and of inferior shape ; 

 and on account of the insufficient supply, large importations are made 

 from Poland and Moldavia. The sheep, of which there are about 

 1,500,000, afford excellent wool. The stock of goats and swine 

 is abundant. Poultry, particularly turkeys and geeae, are reared 

 everywhere ; honey and wax are produced in all the circles. The 

 stock of game has fallen off in those quarters where the population 

 has increased ; it cannot however be termed scanty, and Bohemia 

 still posMBMC stags, deer, hares, wild hogs, pheasants, and partridges in 

 abundance. Some of the wild animal*, such as bears, wolves, and 

 lynxes, continue partially to infest certain districts, chiefly those 

 adjoining the Bohemian Forest Mountains. The fox, marten, pole- 

 cat, weasel, and squirrel also inhabit the Bohemian woods. Birds of 

 prey abound. Considerable supplies of fish are obtained not only 

 from the rivers and brooks, but from the extensive ponds in various 

 parts of this country ; amongst them is the salmon, which finds its 

 way from the North Sea into the Moldau and Wottowa. The 

 mountain streams are full of trout ; and eels and craw-fish are found 

 in many rivulets. The Moldau contains a mussel from which pearls 

 are extracted, which are also obtained in the Wottowa and White 

 Elater, near SteitiKnin, in the district of Eger. 



Manufat:turft, Trade, Ac. Bohemia is one of the most manufac- 

 turing countries in the Austrian territory ; and the northern provinces, 

 especially the parts adjacent to Reichenberg, Rumburg, and Trautenau, 

 where the rawness of the climate or an indifferent soil is unfavourable 

 to agriculture, are the principal seats of manufacturing industry. The 

 glass of Bohemia has been in repute for its cheapness, lightness, and 

 durability ever since the 13th century : in 1837 it employed 3500 

 families. In that year there were 75 glass-houses and 22 grinding 

 and polishing mills. The chief seats of the manufacture are Silberberg, 

 Adolphrilmtte, Libenau, Qcorgenthal, and Defereck; the polishing is 

 for the most part done at Leitmeritz. The best mirrors and enamelled 

 wares are produced at Neuhurkenthal and Biirgstein. The cultiva- 

 tion and working up of flax constitutes a chief means of subsistence 

 among the inhabitants of the highland districts. Many parts of the 

 district* adjoining the northern and eastern ranges of mountains form 

 one continued manufactory of linens, in which thousands of humble 

 cabins perpetually resound with the noise of the jenny or loom ; 600,000 

 hands at leant (a considerable proportion at their leisure hours only) 

 are said to be employed in the manufacture of yarn, and as many as 

 ti that of linen; above 1000 individuals depend on 

 1 ipes and ribbons, and 20,000 on lace-making. But 

 this branch of manufacture is lens productive than formerly, iu conse- 

 quence of the progress making in that of cotton. Much cotton-twist 



of the inferior numbers is spun by machinery at and near Neu- 

 markersdorf, Wernstadtl, Rothenhaus, Joachimsthal, Schonlinde, &c. ; 

 but the higher numbers are imported from England and the arch- 

 duchy of Austria. The weaving of plain calicoes is principally carried 

 on about Leitmeritz, Bunzlau, Ellbogen, and Gitschin ; the finer 

 descriptions are manufactured in the same quartet's, as well as at 

 Prague ; and cotton-printing, which has greatly advanced of late 

 years, is best done at Cosmanos, Reichstadt, Jung-Bunzlau, and 

 Prague. The number of pieces made throughout Bohemia is said to 

 be upwards of 100,000, over and above what is produced by machinery. 

 In 1848 there were 445,714 spindles and 8284 persons employed in 

 cotton-spinning. About 18,000 persons are said to be employed in 

 making hosiery. There are 500 bleaching-grounds, and many of 

 them, particularly that at Landskron, are on an extensive scale. The 

 cotton manufacture however, like most of the manufactures of 

 Bohemia, is mainly upheld by the protective system of the Austrian 

 government. The potash manufactories emplqy a large number of 

 hands. Large quantities of worsted stuffs and woollens of an inferior 

 quality are made. Reichenberg is the great seat of manufacture for 

 the middling descriptions of Bohemian woollens. It has been esti- 

 mated that the trade in wool and woollen manufactures affords sub- 

 sistence to upwards of 70,000 individuals. Of silks the manufacture 

 is inconsiderable, and it is almost wholly confined to Prague. Leather 

 and manufactures from it give employment to many hands. The 

 manufacture of china has been brought to much perfection at 

 Schlaggenwakl, Ellbogen, Pirkenharnnjer, and in other places ; and 

 that of earthenware is carried on in several parts of the country. 

 Iron ware is somewhat largely made ; steel, cutlery, and needles are 

 manufactured principally, and of the best quality, at Prague, Nixdorf, 

 and Carlsbad. Bohemia also possesses copper aud tin manufactories, 

 but so little brass is made that it depends for its supply on the arch- 

 duchy of Austria. The number of paper-mills exceeds 100. One- 

 third at least of the population of Bohemia depend upon manufactures 

 for the chief means of subsistence. The Imperial tobacco manufactory 

 at Hedlitz supplies the whole country with tobacco. The manufacture 

 of beet-root sugar, as already mentioned, appears to be on the increase. 

 The total value of the articles manufactured in Bohemia in 1841 (the 

 latest year for which we have an official return) was 14,16S,OOOZ. 



Few branches of industry are more valuable to Bohemia than the 

 working of its mines ; and although the produce of the precious 

 metals has declined, the whole annual supply of these mines, which 

 is estimated at above 200,0002., has not fallen off in value. The quantity 

 of gold and silver now principally got near Przibram, Joachimsthal, 

 Eule, and Balbin is but small compared with what was obtained in 

 the 16th century, when the mines yielded as much as 1,090,900 

 marks, or about 9,917,300 ounces of silver, up to the year 1589 alone. 

 Quicksilver has hitherto been found only in the form of cinnabar ; 

 the copper-mines have ceased to be productive ; those of tin (and it 

 may be here observed that Bohemia is the only part of the Austrian 

 dominions where it is found) have greatly declined. The lead-mines, 

 principally situated about Przibram, Mies, and Bleiatadt continue to 

 yield abundantly. The iron-mines, the richest of which lie in the 

 district* of Harzowitz and Ginetz in the district of Beraun, and in 

 that of Pilsen employ several thousand hands; but the article is 

 inferior to the Styrian and Carinthian iron. Quarries are worked in 

 every part of Bohemia ; and there is scarcely a district in which 

 lime is not prepared. Marble is obtained at Steinmetz ; sandstone 

 in several places ; the Przilep, Breitenstein, and other quarries yield 

 excellent mill-stones ; large quantities of basalt are worked into form 

 for building and paving at Parchen, Rodau, Ike. ; quartz of superior 

 quality is got at Bohmisch-Aicha, Weisswasser, Giesshugel, and 

 elsewhere. Among the precious stones found in Bohemia, the cele- 

 brated garnet, which is equal to that of the East in brilliancy as 

 well as colour and hardness, is principally found at Swietlau in the 

 province of Czaslau, and Dlaschkowitz in the province of Leitmeritz. 

 The produce of the coal-mines has greatly increased of late years ; 

 and coal is in much greater demand in consequence of the increasing 

 price of wood, particularly in the northern provinces. The southern 

 parts of the province of Rakonitz, in particular, furnish a coal of very 

 superior description. Graphite, or black-lead, in found near Krummau 

 and Swojauow, and is extensively worked ; but is far inferior to the 

 English. About 4000 cwt. of sulphur are annually obtained, and 

 vitriol and sulphuric acid are prepared from the residue. 



Bohemia, which possesses peculiar facilities for internal and 

 external intercourse by means of the natural lines of communication 

 of the Elbe and Moldau, carries on an active trade with the other 

 parts of Austria, and with foreign countries. Its exports are chiefly 

 of mineral products (principally glass), which arc i.i value about one- 

 fourth of the whole ; of vegetable productions, the value of which is 

 somewhat higher ; and of animal products, particularly wool and 

 quills. Prague is the centre of the chief commercial and money 

 transactions, for which its situation peculiarly fits it. Much benefit 

 has accrued to the country from the establishment of a periodical 

 exhibition of native productions aud manufactures, as well as the 

 foundation a few years since of a society at Prague for the promotion 

 of national industry. 



Inhabitant!. We have stated that the population of Bohemia in 

 1850 was 4,409,900 ; in 1833 it was 3,932,000. About one-third of 



