130 AGRICULTURE OX THE RHIXE. 



tory rights and obligations than such a valley contains. 

 A similar spirit of association on the one side, combined 

 with tenacious adherence to private property on the 

 other, which the " Hauberg" showed us, is presented in 

 these water-meadows. A similar want of economy in 

 labour may also be traced in their management ; but as 

 the return from the meadow is a better one, the loss is 

 not of much consequence. 



The meadow regulations, whose origin is lost in the 

 obscurity of time, are stringent as far as they go, al- 

 though doubtful in their nature, that is to say, partaking 

 of both a judicial and voluntary character. Every pa- 

 rish or commune, called in German " Gemeinde," has its 

 meadow-overseer ! like its wood-ranger : both being pea- 

 sants chosen by their fellow villagers for their experience 

 and tact in these vai'ious occupations, and receiving a mo- 

 derate salary for their trouble. Their duty is to see that 

 every one performs his due share of the common obliga- 

 tion, and that the water-rights are not infringed by the 

 rival interests of the hammers and mills that are driven 

 by the same streams. In the autumn, generally in No- 

 vember, the canals are laid dry to be cleaned out. Every 

 proprietor must clean the portion passing through or skirt- 

 ing his meadow, and dispose of the refuse extracted as 

 well as he can. If he neglects to perform his part he is 

 subject to a fine, which is levied daily until the work is 

 done. The whole valley may then be seen filled with 

 small mounds of clay, running in straight lines in every 

 direction. A few days afterwards these disappear, being 

 carried in diiferent directions to improve the level or to 

 regulate the slope of the surface. This is the period 

 when changes are made in the watering and in the drain- 



