AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE. 19 



ings, the rotation is usually prolonged, and the rye crop 

 is repeated and followed by oats. It is common to top- 

 dress the barley, after it has germinated, with compost 

 or w ith liquids. 



We now take the cost of cultivation and the produce 

 from a writer whose authority we found readily acknow- 

 ledged to be such as might be relied upon. The land is 

 ploughed twice, three times, and even five times on some 

 soils, for the winter crop. After beans, peas, and clover, 

 one ploughing is usually sufficient. Corn-stubbles are first 

 turned over with a scarificator, which is formed by sim- 

 ply adjusting the plough of the country to a higher level, 

 and causing it to cut more flatly under the surface than 

 usual. The object in this process is, of course, by cutting 

 through the roots of the weeds, to cause them to decay 

 the more rapidly. The seed labour is performed by the 

 farm-servants, and goes to the yearly account. The har- 

 vesting requires extra hands. It is usual to mow corn 

 of all kinds with a cradle-scythe. One woman binds as 

 much as two men can mow. The mowers as well as 

 binders contract for their work, the former at about 3s. 

 to 3s, 6d. per English acre ; binders get about 2s. 6d. 

 per acre. Threshing is now commonly performed by 

 horse-machines, on large farms, which finish 100 sheaves 

 in a day of ten hours. The yearly wages are — for men, 

 5/. to 71. ; for women, 47. to 61. 



It is not easy to conceive a simpler farming process 

 than has been described. The land is made to bear the 

 utmost that nature without forcing permits. Horned 

 cattle are used in abundance, but are not forced in fatten- 

 ing, and the average weight of an ox does not exceed 

 forty stone. With the annual yield a farmer differently 



