HUNGARY. 103 



more especially of importance ia the south, where oak forests abound, and the 

 haras of Temesvar are highly esteemed for the delicacy of their flavour. 



The great fertility of the soil is unfortunately neutralised in some measure bv 

 the inconstancy of the weather, which renders agriculture a hazardous occupa- 

 tion. In some seasons not a drop of rain falls for months, in others it rains 

 nearly incessantly. The almost oriental fatalism of the peasants may possibly 

 be accounted for by their utter helplessness in the face of such a climate ; and 

 yet, after months and even years of drought, the wretched Wallachian of Transyl- 

 vania, although his children cry for food, and a few lumps of coarse malai (maize 

 paste) are all he has to offer, retains his astonishing placidity. 



The distribution of the land in Hungary is by no means favourable to its 

 intelligent cultivation. By the side of vast domains, many square miles in 

 extent, we find small patches of land, but hardly any estates of fair medium 

 size.* As a rule the large domains are badly tilled, yielding hardly more than 

 twenty pence an acre. The Crown lands (63,000 acres) yield even less, or only 

 livepence an acre. The use of manure is unknown in many parts of the country. 

 Dunghills were allowed to accumulate around the dwellings to keep them warm, 

 and in 1875, when the cholera ravaged the country, the dung which had accumu- 

 lated around Pest became a source of danger, and had to be thrown into the 

 Danube or burnt in furnaces. Such ignorance explains how it is that an acre only 

 yields four or five bushels of wheat. 



Agriculture, nevertheless, is making progress. Hundreds of square milts 

 have been drained, the moving sand-hills to the north of the Danube have been 

 planted, with acacias, and the country has in many respects changed its aspect. 

 But whilst trees are being planted in the plain, the forests in the hills are being 

 devastated, the opening of railways facilitating the export of timber. The 

 Mezôség, or " Land of Forests," of the Central Carpathians deserves that name 

 no longer, for its oaks, beeches, and firs have gone abroad. 



The want of fuel in a great measure accounts for the decreasing importance 

 of the mines. Iron, lead, and gold are found in the *' Ore Mountains " of 

 Transylvania, and although that country no longer deserves the epithet of 

 " Treasure-chest of Europe," it still produces annually about £200,000 worth of 

 gold, most of which is washed in the Verespatak, or " Red River." The "gold- 

 diggers " lead a miserable life, and could earn more in other occupations, but they 

 have not the strength to tear themselves away from their and their fathers' accus- 

 tomed pursuit. 



The " Ore Mountains " of Hungary proper rise around Schemnitz and 

 Kremnitz, and yield silver as well as gold, copj)er, lead, zinc, and. iron, the latter 

 alone being of importance. t The principal iron works are at Oravicza, Szepes, 

 Nagy Varad, and Ard. 



Salt and sulphur abound in Transjdvania and the comitat of Marmaros. 



* There are 1,444,400 proprietors holding under 7 acres, and 903,710 holding between 7 and 12 

 acres, the two classes possessing between them nearly one-third of the total area of the country. 



t In 1874 Hungary and Transylvania pmduced 80,200 tons of iron (value £8-.i3,000 ?), £156,000 worth 

 of silver, 130,400 tons of salt, 1,-500,000 tons of oal. Total value of all mining prr ducts above, £3,440,000 



