AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE. 



231 



out by the Chambers. In 1848 the land-tax rate is to 

 be reconsidered. The cultivated area of the country 

 is 1,812,541 Nassau morgens, and is held by 42,676 

 landed proprietors cultivating their own land. This area 

 is equivalent to 1,103,000 English acres. Considerable 

 improvement has no doubt taken place in the mode of 

 farming, and both the fields and the vineyards yield a 

 much higher return than was formerly obtained. But 

 that the great evil of the subdivision of the soil is in- 

 creasing in the duchy, as elsewhere, is shown by the 

 annexed little historical sketch of the division of pro- 

 perty in the Rhinegau, which we owe to the kindness of 

 an observing friend in office : — 



Number of Landed Properties in the Rhinegau District of 

 Rudesheim. 



