/v) AGRICULTL'RK OX THE RHINE. 



have cattle driven from Moldavia to the chief German 

 meat-markets, and without this care diseases would con- 

 stantly be spread amongst us. 



We have already indulged in many general reflections 

 in this early portion of our task, but we cannot leave this 

 district of the Lower Rhine to enter upon the novel and 

 varied scenes that lie in and beyond the mountains 

 to whose base we have wandered, without once more 

 looking back on what we have passed, because we feel 

 that our readers have by this time obtained an insight 

 into agricultural life that must awaken deep and stirring 

 reflection. From Cleves to Cologne in a straight line is 

 about 70 miles ; from Aix-la-Chapelle toHagen in West- 

 phalia, the base of the triangle we have measured, is 

 nearly 100 miles. Our triangle is therefore equivalent 

 to one leaning with its base upon London and Bath, and 

 having its a^jex either at the extremity of the Isle of 

 Wight, or in a northern direction at Coventry. Yet how 

 different an appearance do the two English districts here 

 marked out present fi*om the portion of Germany with 

 which we would compare them ! Good high roads and 

 navigable rivers traverse the German as the English dis- 

 tricts, and afford thera the advantages of trade. The popu- 

 lation is nearly equal in density, and in abundance of iron 

 and cheapness for the general consumer there is no great 

 disparity. To the most unpractised eye, however, it must 

 be evident that in the English districts more wealth is 

 acquired in the year than in the German. The crops are 

 more abundant, the outlay of capital is repaid sooner, the 

 prices of produce are all higher in England than on the 

 Rhine. J<et us go into the details of the comparison. 



It will hardly be disputed that the profit drawn from 



