THE MIR, Oil COMMUNE. 4GI 



tainly receded southwards during the last two centuries, fur it formerly thrived in 

 Podolia, 180 miles farther north than at present. It doubtless still grows there 

 and in Kiev, but the grape is too sour to produce wine. The vineyards of Astra- 

 khan, often mentioned by Alexander von Humboldt, have also nearly disappeared, 

 and the total production in European Russia is now only 12,870,000 gallons. But 

 the value of this is much increased by the process of conversion into " champagne " 

 and other famous vintages. In 1870 the phylloxera made its appearance in the 

 Crimea, but has not yet been very destructive, the vineyards here being wide apart. 



Russia is very rich in live stock, possessing more than any other European 

 state, and taking the lead even for the relative number of horses to the popu- 

 lation. This excess is of course due to the relatively lower number of inhabitants 

 and the large area of unreclaimable land. Hence in Russian Central Asia the 

 number of horses actually exceeds tbat of the people. Thanks to the progress 

 of agriculture, the horned cattle are increasing, though not so rapidly as the 

 population. Weight for weight, also, the Russian cattle, badly fed and over- 

 worked, are greatly inferior to those of England or Switzerland, while the sheep 

 consist chieU}^ of low breeds, though considerable improvement is taking place in 

 all these respects. The Russian wool crop is estimated at 180,000 tons, worth 

 about £8,330,000 ; and the total value of agricultural i:)roduce and the live stock 

 can scarcely be less than £300,000,000.* 



Since 1861 the producers of this wealth have been emancipated, and placed in 

 possession of a portion of the lands cultivated by them. The Crown serfs, who 

 enjoyed a relativeh^ larger share of freedom than, the others, have received 

 allotments, for which they pay by increased taxation spread over a certain number 

 of years. The serfs of the nobles are bound to pay one-fifth of the sum by direct 

 instalments, failing which the remaining four-fifths are paid by the State, which 

 recoups itself by charging the peasant an interest of 6 per cent, on the sum 

 advanced for forty-nine years. On January 1st, 1879, the number of those who 

 had signed their final contracts was 8,370,000, representing a population of about 

 20,000,000. At that date 1,768,000 old serfs, exclusive of women and children, 

 were still temporarily bound to statute labour, and 723,725 " souls " registered as 

 domestics had not yet received their share of the lands. On the Crown estates 

 860,000 altogether had obtained possession of their lots. 



The Mir, or Comml'ne. 



Not onl}' agricultural, but even industrial and commercial operations are still 

 conducted according to forms betraying the influence of the old communal system. 



* Live stock in various European states : — 



Per 100 Per 100 Per 100 Per 100 



Horses. Inhabitants. Cattle. Inhabitants. Sheep. Inhabitants. Swine. InhabMants 



Russia . . 16,295,000 20 23,836,000 29 ' 49,021,000 60 10,332,000 13 



Germany . 3,352,000 8 15,780,000 38 21,850,000 61 7,124,000 17 



France . . 2,883,000 8 11,284,000 31 24,707,000 68 5,180,000 14 



Austria . . 3,548,400 9 12,780,000 35 20,103,000 50 6,995,000 19 



Great Bntam . 1,927,000 6 9,761,000 30 32,571,000 99 3,768,000 11 



