-AGRICULTURAL MANUFACTURES. 471 
by the exhaustion of the soil, and the diversion of capital from its 
improvement, to the pursuit of a branch of industry certainly not 
the best calculated to promote the material prosperity ; nor is it a 
less favourable feature that the attention of the husbandman ig 
divided between two incongruous occupations, which, although de- 
pendent the one on the other for success, were never intended to 
be united. The proof of the injury sustained by agriculture from 
the system is to be found in the smallness of the return of the three 
cereal crops (wheat, barley, and oats), which, taken together, does 
not average more than four and three-fifths of the seed sown; and 
by the inattention manifested of late years to the races and breed- 
ing of cattle and sheep.* The temptation of an immediate profit, 
and a certain market for their potatoes and beet-roots, has led the 
farmers to neglect the more important cultures, to the destruction of 
good farming, and, as a consequence, the material prosperity of the 
country. . 
But the system adopted by the great Austrian distillers for the 
disposal of these spirits is still more injurious to the welfare of the 
country. Having contracted with the farmers for the growth of a 
certain extent of potatoes, they advance money to them, and also 
spirits. Every inducement is held out to them to purchase this lat- 
ter, upon the faith of the growing crop, and the consequences prove 
most injurious both to the moral and physical character of the rural 
population. A French writer (M. Marie), himself an advocate for 
the principle of agricultural distilleries, has borne the following tes- 
timony to its effect in Austria. ‘‘As to the consequences of the 
inordinate use of alcohol, they speak for themselves. Galitia exhi- 
bits an example which deserves to be studied; and they have been 
amply exposed and brought to light in the publications of those au- 
thors and temperance societies who have undertaken to struggle 
against the use of alcoholic liquors.” 
With regard to the attempt to introduce the system of agricultu- 
ral distilleries into the United Kingdom, although hitherto it has 
proved unsuccessful, and the last two seasons have proved adverse to 
the profitable working of the system, we have reason to believe that 
another attempt will be made to overcome the scruples of the Eng- 
ES a ae I ET a ee 
* Notwithstanding that Austria possesses the finest grazing lands in Europe, the supply 
of butcher’s meat is much below the cousumption, and it requires an importation to the 
amount of one million sterling to supply the deficiency. Even the breeding of horses is 
now very little attended to, as well as of cattle, which is carried on without any regard to 
excellency of race. The breeders are said to be guided in their choice by size rather than 
form and symmetry. 
