62 Dr Howison's Account of the ForesUtrees 
ping and inhabitants of other countries. These forests consist 
entirely of natural wood, which receives neither the care nor in- 
dustry of man during its growth. Labour, however, might be 
employed to much advantage in thinning and clearing away the 
superfluous trees, when young, so as to allow the air to circulate 
freely amongst those which might be permitted to remain and 
grow up to a full size. In the forests, the trees are so thick 
that they destroy eacli other before they attain to any consider- 
able size ; and, in that way, it is only a few of the strongest 
which survive the general wreck. The wood of considerable 
girth, which was to be found in the vicinity of the road-sides, ri- 
vers, lakes, or canals, particularly in the neighbourhood of great 
towns, has been of late years cut down, and little or none but 
that of a stunted description remains in its place. The timber 
cut for the use of government, and for exportation, is now pro- 
cured from a very great distance, — hundreds, and, sometimes, 
thousands of versts, into the interior, and that distance is gra- 
dually increasing. Even there, it becomes necessary to bring it 
a considerable way, from amongst the forests, where it is cut 
down, to the lakes or rivers, by means of which it is floated to 
the sea-port towns. Labour, however, in the interior of Russia 
is of little value. It costs the nobleman next to nothing. The 
peasantry upon his estate, being a kind of slaves, receive no re- 
gular wages. 
The mercantile transactions throughout Russia are conducted 
by native merchants, who, although feudal dependants of the 
nobility or of government, with a few exceptions, understand 
both the Russian and English languages. They are of course 
well acquainted with the country, the people, their manners and 
customs, and with the mode of travelling. Many of them pass 
the winter months in the villages of the interior. Hemp, flax, 
tallow, iron, and the various productions of the empire, are pur- 
chased in this way. Originally these articles are produced upon 
the estates of the nobles in the interior. They are purchased 
upon the spot, by the native merchant, who is a middleman, 
having no direct connection with the goods. They are forward- 
ed to the great towns, where they are resold by him to the Bri- 
tish, or foreign merchant or agent, with considerable profits ; 
who again sends or sells them to his correspondent, the merchant 
