104 



HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. Part I. 



effect and produces almost instantaneous relief. The disease attacks the hogs with a swelling of their 

 throat, and terminates in large hard knots, not unlike the plague, on which the decoction acts as a 

 digestive, abates the fever directly in the first stage, and suppurates the knots. It is used in Turkey, with 

 the same view, in the cure of the plague. 



661. Such is the present stale of agriculture in Poland, as it appeared to us during a 

 residence of four months in Warsaw and its neighbourhood in 1813, and the details in 

 Mr. Jacob's Report of 1826 (p. '25. to 37.) afford us but little reason for altering our 

 opinion. But it must always be recollected, that the above view does not include either 

 Lithuania or Gallicia, the agriculture of which districts is of a much superior description. 

 Since the middle of the 18th century some of the principal Polish nobles have occa- 

 sionally made efforts for the improvement of the agriculture of their country ; but they 

 have not been designed and directed in the best manner, and what is much worse, 

 not steadily pursued. Splendid wooden houses and villages have been built, and foreign 

 farmers induced to settle and cultivate the lands. In the first heat of the business, all 

 went on well ; but the proprietors soon began to cool, to neglect their new tenants, and 

 leave them to the mercy of their stewards, who, in Italy and Poland, are known to be 

 the most corrupt set of men that can be met with. The oppression of these stewards, 

 and the total disregard of their masters to their promises and agreements made to and 

 with these strangers, have either forced the latter to return home, or reduced them to the 

 necessity of becoming servants in the towns, or in Germany ; and we know of instances 

 where it has ruined men of some property. There are one or two exceptions ; but we 

 could produce names and dates in proof of the general truth of what we have asserted. 

 The failure of a dairy establishment, and of a brewery, both established before the com- 

 mencement of the French revolution, is attributable to this sort of conduct in the 



proprietors, 



*662. The efforts to introduce a better culture into Poland, since the peace of 1814, have 

 been more general, and conducted on more moderate and rational principles. British 

 implements have been imported in considerable numbers, and an iron-foundery and 

 manufactory of machinery of most kinds and agricultural implements is now established 

 in Warsaw. Improved breeds of cattle and sheep have been procured from Prussia and 

 Saxony ; scientific managers are obtained from the German agricultural schools ; and 

 what will contribute essentially to improvement, encouragement is given to foreigners to 

 settle, by letting or selling the crown lands at moderate rates, and not only free from all 

 feudal services for ever, but for a certain period exempted from government taxes. Add 

 to this, that the leibeigeners and metayers of every description may buy up the services which 

 they now render their lords, at very easy rates established by law ; and thus, according 

 to their ambition and means, render themselves partially or wholly independent men. 

 In short, the most judicious measures have been taken, by the new government of 

 Poland, for the improvement of the country ; and they have been followed up with con-= 

 siderable vigour by the proprietors. These proprietors are now a different and very 

 superior class of men to what they were fifty or sixty years ago. They have mostly 

 been officers in the French army, and with it "traversed the greater part of Europe ; 

 better educated than many of the French, and more engaging in their manners than the 

 Germans, they may be considered among the first gentlemen of the Continent. The 

 Polish peasantry arc naturally a much more lively and ingenious race than those of 

 Russia, and since they have been rendered free, they have learned to feel their superiority, 

 and they will gradually participate in the improvement of their masters. 



Sect. VII. Of the present State of Agriculture in Russia. 



663. The rural economy of the Russian empire was first described by Professor Pallas 

 in his travels to explore that country, made by order of the Empress Catherine. It has 

 also been incidentally noticed by various travellers, as Tooke, Coxe, Clarke, and several 

 French and German authors. From these and other works, and a personal residence 

 which occupied nearly a year in 1813 and 1814, we shall present a very concise state- 

 ment of the agricultural circumstances of that semibarbarous country. 



664. The territory of Russia which may be subjected to aration commences at the 

 43° and ends at the 65' J of north latitude. Farther north, the summers are too short for 

 ripeninrr even barley, and the climate too severe for the growth of pasture or trees. It 

 is a black waste, productive of little more than lichens, and supporting a few reindeer. 

 The southern extremity of Asiatic Russia, on the other hand, admits the culture of Italy, 

 and even the southern parts in Europe, that of the maize district of France. 



665. The climate of Russia has been divided into four regions, the very cold, cold, 

 temperate, and hot. The very cold extends from 60° to 78° of N. latitude, and includes 

 Archangel. In many of its districts there is scarcely any summer; the spring has in 

 o-eneral much frost, snow, and rain ; and the winter is always severe. In this region 

 there is no agriculture. 



666. The cold climate extends from 55 r to 60° N. latitude and includes Cazan Mos- 



