Europe : — a popular Physical Sketch. 419 



white bread is common, rye bread is the most universal. 

 Barley is particularly consumed in brewing beer, which 

 is the common beverage, except in the NW. part of France, 

 where cyder (cidre) is used, and in that part of central 

 France, situated to the south of the vine-frontier. Also 

 buck-wheat, potatoes, beans, and peas, are much cultivated as 

 important articles of food. The North European fruits, 

 apples, prunes, cherries, pears^ are common ; the more 

 southern fruits are apricots and peaches ; the latter however 

 are only brought to perfection by artificial means. The 

 cultivation of hemp and flax is important, particularly in the 

 eastern part of the plain. 



The domesticated animals are, horned cattle (particu- 

 larly in the marshy countries) horses, (are of a strong breed, 

 in Normandy, Holstein and Jutland) sheep and swine. 

 Goats are scarce, as they are more calculated for mountain 

 pastures. 



Of wild beasts, stags abound, which is also the case on 

 the British Isles, whereas they are rare in the Scandinavian 

 peninsula, and even there they are confined to the southern 

 part. In the eastern part (Poland) are found elks, bears, 

 wild hogs, and the European bison (Urus) ; in the central 

 part the hamster (Cricetus) ; but hares, foxes, and wolves are 

 numerous all over the plain; the latter are however extinct 

 in Denmark. The inhabitants are chiefly engaged in agri- 

 culture and grazing cattle ; but there are some manufactu- 

 ring districts, as Belgium ; and owing to the great extent of 

 the plain an inland trade, particularly in the eastern parts, 

 is flourishing. The inhabitants of the coast, are chiefly 

 occupied in fisheries and navigation. 



[To be continued.] 



3i 



