30 M. Beudanfs Travels in Hungary* 



vania, Sclavonia, and Croatia; and, indeed, wherever the 

 height of the mountains or encroachment of the forests does 

 not affect the temperature. In various parts, where corn does 

 not thrive, they grow barley, rye, oats, and sarrazin, or black 

 \vheat (polygonum fagopyrum). In good years, they export 

 more than 6,000,000 bushels of wheat into the neighbouring 

 countries. What would the produce be, if agriculture, which 

 is here in its infancy, were on a level with that in other 

 countries ? 



Besides the Cereal plants (corn, and maize, &c.) millet and 

 rice are cultivated in Hungary. Maize is grown on a large 

 scale, in the Banat, in Croatia, Sclavonia, &c., and in less quan? 

 tities in almost all the flat country of southern Hungary. In 

 Transylvania it is the main article of sustenance to the Walla- 

 chians and Russniaks, who make a kind of gruel with it; also 

 crumpets baked in the ashes, and even bread, which would be 

 pretty good were it rightly prepared. The ears of maize mix- 

 ed with water, are so dressed as to form a sort of national 

 meat; it is, in fact, very good eating, and a stranger may 

 readily use himself to it, although it does not appear at the 

 tables of the great lords. Millet is generally cultivated in the 

 same places as maize, but especially in the more southern 

 parts. As to rice, it is grown in the marshy districts of the 

 Banat ; there are rice plantations also in various other parts. 

 The baron de Vai had it in contemplation to form rice beds in 

 the tracts bordering on the three branches of the Koros j a 

 measure which would add immensely to the culture. 



The vineyards of Hungary are in high repute, and their 

 wines constitute one of the most important branches of their 

 commerce. The vine is cultivated in all parts of Hungary, 

 excepting the most northern provinces and the most elevated 

 situations. The quantity of different wines made and export- 

 ed into all the adjacent countries is immense. The white 

 wine of the country of Tokai, about the borders of theTheysse 

 and the Bodrog, is well known ; in point of excellence it ranks 

 high. But the red wine of Menes, in the comitat of Arad, of 

 a very different gust, is not at all inferior, and is preferred by 

 some epicures. Besides these, there are many that have a 

 well-merited reputation. Such as those of CEdenburg and 

 Rust, on the lake of Neusiedler, with others too numerous to 

 quote. In general, Hungary takes the lead even of France, 

 in the variety of its wines ; it has many not unlike our best 

 Burgundy, from along the Rhone, &c. ; also others like our 

 sweet and our heady wines, but there yet remain others that 

 have no similitude whatever to any wines, the growth of our 

 vineyards. 



