AGRTCrLTl'RE OX THE EHINE. 229 



senting what, under other circumstances, a tenant could 

 afford at the time of the valuation to pay as rent to a 

 landlord, nor has there been such a change since 1828 

 as to justify our considering tliis too low a valuation. 

 The peasants have increased in number, and in all pro- 

 bability their holdings are smaller now than ever. As 

 the peasants hold the bulk of the land, all legislation 

 must look chiefly to their necessities, and on their small 

 patches they assuredly do not grow corn more economi- 

 cally than they used. In 1828 the cultivated land in 

 the district of Aix-la-Chapelle counted 1,230,276 estates 

 on an area of 1,624,252 morgens, each allotment con- 

 sequently averaging about two-thirds of an English acre. 

 The estimated returns from these 1,624,252 morgens 

 was 2,198,086 dollars, averaging, consequently, l^g dol- 

 lars per morgen, or 6s. 4d. per English acre. The net 

 return from houses is stated at 503,844 dollars, to add 

 to the above. On these the land-tax charged was 

 445,393 dollars, or 16 percent. The land-tax charged 

 on the agricultural returns is stated on good authority to 

 amount to 12 per cent on the peasant's crops. Of the 

 produce of large well-managed estates, of course, the 

 land-tax consumes but a slender proportion ; but of these 

 a great many enjoy an immunity from taxation that is 

 regarded with sore feelings by their poorer neighbours, 

 and allusions are frequently made to the promise of the 

 late king to abolish privileges and concede rights as their 

 substitute. The sum levied for land-tax, although 

 small, is felt to be oppressive, as it must be paid in hard 

 money ; and although practically redeemed by transfer 

 and inheritance, yet the tax-gatherer's call haunts the 



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