60 AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE. 



of the district, and another, perhaps, in the middle of 

 the village territory, but in an opposite direction, has all 

 the difficulty to contend with that two fields at three- 

 quarters of a mile from each other present, without the 

 compensation derived from others lying nearer to the 

 homestead. The disadvantage attending distance even 

 on large estates has been pointed out and made matter 

 of scientific calculation by M. de Thiinen, whose name 

 is known to English readers from his valuable contribu- 

 tions to Mr. Jacob's reports. The German governments 

 have of late years taken up the matter, and seek to pro- 

 mote what are called consolidations by means of ex- 

 changes, so as to bring the scattered land as much as 

 possible into estates lying within a ring fence. They 

 meet with great difficulty from the dislike the peasant 

 shows to part with land that he has lor^g held, and the 

 inconvenience attaching to which has been softened by 

 the bonus given to him in the manner described a few 

 pages back. The most effectual pressui-e that can now 

 be administered, will spring from the prosperity of trade 

 and manufactures. 



With the old subdivision of property, the old agricul- 

 tural implements have in a great measure been retained. 

 We have observed why on the highlands the dung of 

 cows and oxen is preferred to horse-dung. The prefer- 

 ence is however carried farther than situation will justify, 

 and in the plain between Jiilich and Cologne cows and 

 oxen may be seen yoked to the plough, where the work 

 as well as the dung of horses would unquestionably be 

 more advantageous to the farm. Ploughing with oxen 

 entails the necessity of wheels, and in a country where 

 iron is not abundant the whole apparatus is likely to be 



