ЛО AGBICUbTUKE ON THE RHINE.
usually laid out with regard to abundant and rich pas-
tures. Cattle are here fattened on the grass and clover,
A farm near Wesel has a stock of seven horses, eight
cows, thirty oxen, besides calves, and sixteen to twenty
pigs, on about twenty-eight acres. These farms are half
pasture land, flooded in the spring by the Rhine, and yet
the number of hands employed is from seven to ten men,
and three to four women, servants. The wages of the
fanner are from 5Z. to 61. per annum, with hearty meals,
at which meat appears every day, especially on the low
left bank of the river, where the estates mostly belong
to rich owners. On the right bank the road we have
followed joins the second high road from Cleves to
Neuss, that runs parallel with the upland road, at Appel-
dorn, a flourishing village, the houses of which are
widely scattered, to place them as much as possible on the
lands belonging to the owners. Adjoining Appeldorn
is the hamlet of Marienbaum, which the inquiring tra-
veller will find the best station for a halt in this neigh-
bourhood. He will be surprised at the accommodation
which the inn affords, and will obtain much useful inform-
ation from the people of the house. From the inn to
the bank of the river is a pleasing walk of about three
miles. The small farm-houses have a very neat appear-
ance, and have a kitchen and flower-garden as a never-
failing appendage. Here too we have found the la-
bourers’ cottages on small allotments very neat, con-
taining a great deal of room in combination with great
economy of construction. The cottage is built of brick,
with a high roof which serves as barn and hayloft. The
entrance is into the kitchen, adjoining which is a bedroom,
both roomy. Two other rooms open from these, and the
stable, if there be one, is in continuation under the same
AGRICULTURE OK THE RHINE.
31
roof. Sma∏ patches of land opposite the houses were,
when we saw them, filled with potatoes, cabbages,
and other vegetables, between which and the road the
people had constructed a temporary fence with sticks, up
which was trained the large bean, that ought to be
better known in England than it is, and which we shall
take the Iibertyof calling the German bean, in contradis-
tinction to the small French bean. These beans are deli-
cious when fresh, and are preserved in various ways
for winter use. The road from Marienbaum to the
Rhine lies through a polder, which is protected from
the river, whose level is higher than parts of the land,
by a high dam. The keeping up of this embankment
is an expensive matter, and its cost is defrayed by a rate
levied on the landholders of the polder. A few years
ago it gave way, and the water caused great devastation,
for the polder is occupied by a numerous body of small
farmers and landowners. The banks of the river on
both sides are formed of similar dams, and this part of
the broad and mighty stream presents little of the pic-
turesque. We may, therefore, return to Marienbaum,
noticing a little to the right of the road another pretty
country-house belonging to a retired officer, reputed one
of the best farmers in these parts. Several enclosures
round his house are devoted to the growth of tobacco, in
which he is very successful.
It has been noticed that rape-seed and tobacco are fre-
quently substituted in the rich lowlands as market crops,
for the flax and potatoes of the uplands. The growth of
tobacco is discouraged in Prussia by a tax varying from
3 dollars to 6 dollars per morgen, according to the quality