TRAVELS IN POLAND, AND CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE NATIVES OF THAT COUNTRY. SECT. 1.—Of the Soil and Productions of Poland. POLAND is a remarkably champaign country. I travelled in it from the boundary near Kiew in Russia, to Cracow, (above 500 English miles), without seeing a hill of any height, or a stone of any size, except at Berdecrow, not far from the borders of Russia, and at Dubienki, above 100 miles farther on the road to Warsaw. The soil is in general light, but fertile. The trees, the plants, the grain, and even the weeds, grow to a great height. Agriculture, however, is in a most deplorable state, (see the letter, No. 3. p. 298.); and I scarcely saw any well-dressed fields, except some in the neighbourhood of Cracow. Poland, notwithstanding its defective husbandry, yet, owing to the fertility of its soil, and the regularity of its climate, produces some excellent wheat; for, in winter, the crop is completely covered, for several weeks with snow, which is much better for the plant, than constant rains, or alternate falls of snow and thaws, so usual in Great Britain. Poland is celebrated for its timber; and it is a maxim there, that though the planting of an ash, in a seedling state, may be practised, because that tree is provided by nature with numerous fibrous roots, and consequently suffers but little from its removal, yet that the oak, the birch, and all the pine tribe, should be raised from seed sown in the very ground where the trees are to be raised. An experiment was tried with trees raised on the same ground, partly from seed sown, and partly from seedlings transplanted, when it was proved, that the trees raised from the seed, were greatly superior. There are several trees peculiar to Poland, which ought to be propagated in this country; in particular, the Swirk, a species of fir; the White Oak of the Palatinate of Bresk; and the Polish Maple, which grows to a great size *. Another valuable production of Poland is honey, which the bees obtain from a species of lime-tree found in Lithuania, and in some provinces of Russia, and called there the Linden. The bees extract some food from even the leaves of the Linden ; but it is in the blossom of the tree, that they find the matter which produces that pure, white, and highly flavoured honey so peculiarly valuable. For collecting it, the bees are restricted to a period of three days; it having been ascertained, that, at the end of that time, the valuable saccharine matter in the blossoms is most commonly exhausted; and, indeed, it sometimes happens, if bleak weather sets in at the time when the blossoms appear, that none of that superior saccharine matter can be obtained. The delicious liquor made from it, is called, in Russian, Leepétz. It is said to possess this great property, that no person who drinks that liquor is troubled with the gout. Nothing can surpass the honey itself, for taste, or flavour. The linden tree grows in all good soils, but delights in clay. Its cultivation is certainly too much neglected in Britain, which is the more to be regretted, as it is a quick grower, in addition to its valuable property of producing such excellent honey + See a most interesting paper on the subject of planting trees, by A. P. Hove, Esq. a native of Poland, in the communications to the Board of Agriculture, vol. vii. p. 281, which ought to be separately printed and circulated. When the trunk of the linden becomes from nine to ten inches in diameter, it is the best wood of any for making hives, being impervious to rain, while SECT. 2.-Character of the Poles. This subject may be discussed under four heads; 1. The rich nobles; 2. The inferior gentry; 3. The peasants; and, 4. The Jews, who form a numerous and distinct body of the people. 1. Among the rich nobility of Poland, there are many individuals of high character, more especially those who have visited foreign countries, or been educated abroad. But those who have lived at home, are in general not equally respectable or intelligent, having a high opinion of themselves,—delighting in their hereditary privileges, by which they are enabled to tyrannize over their vassals,—and attached to an elective monarchy, for the sake of the corruption so usual at such elections. The women are remarkably handsome and accomplished; but are said to be sometimes so incorrect in their conduct, that divorces were not uncommon. 2. The inferior gentry are, in many particulars, respectable. They have a warlike spirit; but prefer the cavalry to the foot service. The champaign nature of their country, renders horse necessary, to a considerable extent, for its defence; but the infantry has now become, for real strength, greatly preferable. Some of this class keep post-houses, and receive the money for the horses; but their wives are paid for the victuals or entertainment. In order to insure a welcome reception, it is necessary to give the landlord a glass of wine, and a cup of tea or coffee to the landlady. I found only one landlord who spoke Latin, which formerly was so prevalent in that country. One postilion complained, in that language, that the via est magna, etiam maxima. 3. The lower orders are a poor, oppressed, and miserable set of slaves, working for bread only, and hardly allowed that by their lordly masters. It is no wonder that Poland is weak, considering the distressed state of the peasantry; for how can it admits the cool air, so necessary for the health of the bees. Hives made of this wood are so much esteemed, that they sell at a higher price than any other sort. |