Continental Farming. 
155 
well selected for a few generations, there is no doubt tliat tliey 
would be one of the best breeds in the world : great numbers of 
them are excellent handlers — they are deep in the rib, wide in 
the back, deep and broad in the thighs, deep but rather narrow in 
the breast ; their liead and horns are in many cases beautiful ; the 
worst fault they have is flatness in the rib : they are the finest 
working oxen in tlie world ; always yoked so as to push with 
the forehead, so that the work in no way disfigures them as our 
system of yokes and collars does. 
The swine are fattened in great numbers, after the subsiding 
of the Hoods, upon fish and frogs that swarm the shallow pools in 
these marshes, but their flesh is not fit for food, therefore the 
whole carcase is melted down and the fat mixed with beef and 
mutton suet to make tallow ; the dried flesh is given to other young 
pigs that are growing, thus it gets double refined ; large quanti- 
ties of pigs are also fattened in the oak forests upon acorns. 
Hungary supplies the greater part of Austria with beef, mutton, 
pork, and horses. The herbage on the land which is not liable 
to flood is of the finest description ; in fact I have no doubt that 
this whole plain, exceeding 21 millions of acres in extent, could 
not be excelled by any land in the world for fertility, if properly 
drained and cultivated ; it might produce more than one and a 
half million tons of beef, mutton, pork, butter, and wool, which at 
the low price of 4^^. per lb. amounts to 63 millicms sterling; wheat 
at least 24 million quarters, which at 30s. per quarter, amounts to 
36 millions sterling ; of rye, barley, maize, and tobacco, say 31 
million pounds sterling, making a total of 130 millions, of which 
one half may be allowed for exportation annually, enabling these 
people to consume foreign necessaries and luxuries to the value 
of 65 millions annually. 
There were nothing like hills to be seen, except to the north, all 
the way : these mountains we were gradually drawing near, until 
we reached the first hills at Tokay. All the hill-slopes are 
covered with vineyards, but the cultivation is not good, indeed 
many of them are much neglected. Tliere is every appearance of 
Tokay having once been a place of great wealth, though it is now 
going fast to decay. These hills are the beginning of the Car- 
pathian mountains ; but there are about 40 miles of beautiful 
vine-clad hills and fertile valleys before the main mountains are 
reached: cultivation is in a most backward state here. Nature 
has given them vines that make the most delicious wine in the 
world ; what an immense produce would be the result if the vine- 
yards were managed as they are on the banks of the Rhine I 
I went to a large fair that is held the first week in June near 
Tokay, where there were immense droves of cattle, pigs, horses, 
of all ages, brought for sale ; also great quantities of cattle, horse. 
