i9o PETERSBURG IN WINTER 



great interest in horse - breeding, very kindly gave me a 

 copy of this book, as he knew it would interest me. 



Although the Neva is a fairly fast flowing river, it gets 

 rozen over so firmly during winter, that carts, electric trams 

 and other heavy traffic cross it without any mishap. A large 

 business is done in cutting great blocks of ice, and carting 

 them by sledges (Fig. 44) into the town. The fact that 

 these blocks are about two feet six inches thick, shows how 

 intense must be the cold, and how strong must be the ice on 

 the river. Yet with all this cold, often below 20 F., the 

 custom among the St. Petersburg izvozchiks is to let their 

 animals drink as much icy cold water as they choose to 

 take, at the various public horse troughs that are distributed 

 throughout the city. There is a caretaker at each of these 

 troughs, who charges a kopeck (a farthing) for the ac- 

 commodation, and during the winter lias frequently to break 

 the ice that forms on the surface of the water every few 

 minutes. The Russian cabbies water their horses irrespect- 

 ive of the time of the year, no matter how hot they may be. 

 In fact, one rarely goes a long drive without their asking 

 leave to assuage the thirst of their ponies. I was always 

 only too happy to grant the desired permission ; because I 

 knew that this practice was thoroughly sound. I need not 

 here give my reasons for this belief; because I shall fully 

 discuss the subject in my new book on stable-management 

 in England. 



Footpaths of various kinds are constructed over the Neva 

 for winter use. Fig. 45 shows a good specimen of a wooden 

 one with railings on each side. 



I admire the Russian police ; because they keep order, 

 and apparently are a terror to no one except evil-doers. 

 England is such a delightfully kind country to the wicked, 

 that she receives with open arms and no questions asked, 

 the ruffians of all nations, and gives to her own scamps an 



