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XI. — On Rural Economy Abroad. — An Essay to wliich the So- 

 ciety's Gold Medal and Twenty- five Sovereigns were awarded 

 in July, 1839. — By J, Stanley Carr, Esq., of Fuschenbach, 

 in the Duchy of Luxemburg. 



Feeling it to be the duty of every large landowner, in what- 

 ever country, and however humble his talents may be, to respond 

 to your call for information, I shall venture to offer, from time to 

 time, an account of the husbandry of the North of Germany, 

 beginning with my own immediate neighbourhood. 



The Mecklenhurgs. — These countries, about 100 miles long and 

 60 broad, are situated between the Baltic on the north, Pomerania on 

 the east, Brandenburg on the south, and Holstein and Luneburg on 

 the west. From north to south there is a ridge of elevated sandy 

 land (the same wdiich may be traced from the Bannat in Hungary 

 to Jutland in Denmark), varying from 10 to 20 miles in breadth, 

 affording miserable crops of corn and worse pasture ; but the soil 

 improves on both sides towards the Elbe and the Baltic, where 

 fine districts of rich loams and clays are managed with consider- 

 able plodding industry. The size of farms varies from 50 or 60 

 acres, in the hands of the peasantry, to 300, and even 2000 acres, 

 cultivated by farmers, but more frequently by the proprietor. A 

 comfortable country-house is usually situate about the middle of 

 the estate, flanked by rows of very large buildings, often 200 feet 

 long, by 60 broad : — 1st, a stable, &c. ; 2nd, cow-house and dairy, 

 the number of cows varying with the extent of the farm, but often 

 amounting to 300 or 400, exclusive of young cattle and oxen ; 3rd, 

 a sheep house, to contain from 500 to 5000 sheep ; and lastly, 

 barns, for putting the whole of the crops under cover. The thresh- 

 ing-floor extends through the whole length of the house, and is 

 large enough to admit a full 4-horse waggon of corn, and to give 

 shelter to a dozen at a time if necessary, which is often of much 

 consequence in catching seasons ; and although these large build- 

 ings are a serious expence at first, they require little repair, and 

 facilitate harvesting greatly. 



Mecklenburg, situated in the same latitude as Yorkshire, with 

 a climate warmer and dryer in summer, and colder in winter, is 

 prosperous, although the rotations are defective, and the agricul- 

 tural implements of remote antiquity. The instrument wliich 

 serves as a substitute for a plough is called a haken, and the same 

 as the Romans used, according to Loudon (page 112, figure 135). 

 The harrows are often with wooden teeth, and in using them the 

 driver lunges 5 horses with a harrow each, in a circle of about 

 10 yards in diameter, half the round at a quick walk and the rest 

 at a trot, and as he steps backwards slowly a few inches at a time, 



