98 . Notes and Gleanings. 



seem essentially different, the country is carefully cultivated ; and although the 

 various crops, generally of rye or other grain, may not appear peculiarly 

 luxuriant, yet neither do they strike the passer-by as wholly the reverse, and 

 seem to justify the inference, the country not appearing dissimilar, that the 

 same means would produce in Russia similar results, unless, being somewhat 

 farther north, climate would prevent their success. As it is, the two countries, in 

 their cultivation, appear in strong contrast ; and while, even in this part of Prus- 

 sia, well-cultivated helds, herds of cattle in the pastures, farm-houses surrounded 

 by large barns, although by no means equalling those portions of that kingdom ly- 

 ing farther westward towards the Rhine, make it appear comparatively jDopulous, 

 and as if long occupied, in Russia, after passing the Niemen, the large tracts 

 of forests, the scattered villages, and the sparse cultivation, make the country 

 seem an unoccupied waste. The part of Russia thac I passed through is proba- 

 bly the most uninteresting, and, in an agricultural point of view, by no means 

 the best part of its territory. The portion of it that lies south-easterly from 

 Moscow is represented as possessing a much milder climate than the part that 

 I visited, and a soil sufficiently fertile to make it one of the principal corn-pro- 

 ducing countries of Europe. After passing the westerly frontier, a by no means 

 inconsiderable part of the country that I saw was covered with forests. These 

 forests consisted of young trees, — firs, or other evergreens, and white birch. I 

 saw no large or old trees ; and the general appearance induced the supposition that 

 these forests had been cut over at no very remote period, and that the present was 

 a subsequent growth of young wood. At intervals, however, throughout the 

 extent j^assed over, the land was cleared of forests, and devoted to cultivation ; 

 generally to the raising of grain-crops, but sometimes to grass or pasture. This 

 was especially the case where a village had been established ; and fields were 

 seen, not unfrequently quite large, of rye, wheat, oats, and occasionally of pota- 

 toes, with some riax, — rye, or what I took for rye, being in much the largest 

 proportion. The crops did not look promising : the season had been and was very 

 dry, and they probably had suffered for the want of rain ; but there was nothing 

 in their appearance that led to a belief that the soil had been very thoroughly 

 cultivated. The absence of comfortable, tidy farm-houses and out-buildings, 

 and the want of any appearance of thrift in the villages, led to the conclusion 

 that agriculture here had not received much attention ; and that, taking into con- 

 sideration the character of the climate, and the probably greater attractions of 

 other parts of the empire, some time must yet elapse before this part of Russia 

 would become sufficiently populous to cause such agricultural capabilities as it 

 possesses to be very fully developed. 1 ought, however, to say, that, travelling by 

 rail, the portion of country passed over was probably that most recently settled, 

 while that longer occupied very likely would have presented a different appear- 

 ance. Between the frontier and St. Petersburg, the country is not populous. A 

 few large towns are passed, and numerous villages : these last are of small 

 houses built of wood, some of frame, but more generally of logs covered with 

 thatch, and by no means attractive in appearance. In the towns were some large 

 buildings, apparently of brick ; and towards St. Petersburg some that appeared 

 to be villas, and large farming establishments, with extensive out-buildings. The 



