96 HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. Part I. 



02. Jacob's opinion of the agriculture of Saxony is, that it is equal to that of Prussia. 

 In one respect he thinks it superior, as no portion of the soil is wholly without some 

 cultivation ; but that cultivation is far below what the land requires, and the produce 

 much less than the inhabitants must need for their subsistence. 



SuBSECT. 6. Present State of the Agriculture of the Kingdom of Bavaria. 



603. Bavaria is one of the most backward countries of Germany, in regard to every kind 

 of improvement. A bigotted and ignorant priesthood, not content with possessing a 

 valuable portion of the lands of the country, have insisted on the expulsion of the 



. protestants, and on the strict observance of the endless holidays and absurd usages which 

 impede the progress of industry among their followers. " Hence a general habit of 

 indolence and miserable backwardness in all arts, and especially in agriculture ; and 

 in point of learning, a complete contrast to the north of Germany." During the 

 electorate of Bavaria, one of its electors, contemporary with Joseph II. of Austria, 

 desirous of introducing improvements, abolished monastic orders in some parts of his 

 dominions ; but the people were by no means ripe for such a change, notwithstanding 

 the existence of masonic societies, supposed (but ignorantly) to have rendered them ripe 

 for any sort of revolution. 



604. The siirface of Bavaria is mountainous toward the south ; the ground rising in 

 the direction of the Alps, and containing a number of lakes and marshes, with little 

 that has as yet been brought under tillage. To the northward are extensive plains, and 

 also wooded mountains. Indeed, the greater part of the country is either in mountain 

 or underwood. 



605. The crops cultivated are the usual corns, legumes, and roots ; but potatoes and 

 turnips are not very common. Excellent wine is produced on the hills ; but little silk 

 or maize even in the warmest parts. 



606. Imjrrovements, we are told, are now taking place even in Bavaria. 



SuBSECT. 7. Present State of the Agriculture of the Emjnre of Austria. 



607. Agriculture is in a very bachvard state throughout the whole cf the Austrian 

 dominions. The soil, surface, and climate are almost every where favorable for hus- 

 bandry ; but the political circumstances of the country, and the ignorance of its in- 

 habitants, which is greater than in most other parts of Germany, have kept it in nearly a 

 fixed state for several centuries. Various attempts have been made during the eighteenth 

 century to improve the condition of the peasantry, and simplify the laws relating to 

 landed property, especially by Joseph II.; but they have produced no effect, chiefly, as 

 it appears, because too much was attempted at once. There are agricultural societies at 

 Vienna, Pesth, Prague, and other places ; and a very complete agricultural school or 

 georgicon has been established at Kesztheley in Hungary, by a highly patriotic indi- 

 vidual, Graf Festetits. A copious account of it has been given by Dr. Bright (Travels 

 in Hungary, in 1814. 361. et seq, ), by which it appears considerably more extensive 

 than those of Hofwyl or Moegelin. 



608. The landed projyeriy of Austria is under similar circumstances of division and 

 occupation with that of the rest of Germany. Perhaps the number of large estates is 

 greater in proportion to the small properties. In Hungary they are of immense extent, and 

 cultivated almost entirely by their proprietors. " In considering a Hungarian property," 

 Dr. Bright observes, " we must figure to ourselves a landed proprietor possessing ten, 

 twenty, or forty estates, distributed in different parts of the kingdom, reckoning his 

 acres by hundreds of thousands, and the peasants upon his estates by numbers almost as 

 great; and remember, that all this extent of land is cultivated, not by farmers, but by 

 his own stewards and officers, who have not only to take care of the agricultural manage- 

 ment of the land, but to direct, to a certain extent, the administration of justice 

 amongst the people : and we must further bear in mind, that perhaps one-third of this 

 extensive territory consists of the deepest forests, affording a retreat and shelter, not 

 only to beasts of prey, but to many lawless and desperate characters, who often defy, 

 for a great length of time, the vigilance of the police. We shall then have some faint 

 conception of the situation and duties of a Hungarian magnat." 



609. To conduct the business of such extensive domains, a system of officers is formed, 

 and governed by a court of directors ; and on well-regulated estates, this band of 

 managers exhibit, in their operations, all the subordination of military, and the accuracy 

 of mercantile concerns. For this purpose an office is established at or near the estate 

 on which the magnat resides, in which a court of directors is held at stated periods, 

 usually once a week. This court consists of a president or plenipotentiary, a director 

 or solicitor, a prefect, auditor, engineer or architect, a fiscal for law affairs, the keeper 

 of the archives, besides a secretary, clerks, &c. Its business is to review all that has 

 taken place on the different estates, whether of an economical or judicial nature, to 

 examine accounts, and regulate future proceedings. The steward of each separate estate 



