Rule of Constantine

The very geography of the place offers a

wide outlook. As a part of his everyday experience, a resident of

Constantinople lives within sight of Europe and Asia. Every day of his life, he

sees the waterway that runs between the two great continents thronged with

vessels of every nation, hurrying to and fro to bring the ends of the earth

together. Then, how much human power has been enthroned here the dominion of

Byzantium for one thousand years; the rule of Constantine and his successors for

eleven centuries; the sway of the Ottoman Sultans through four hundred and

fifty years. If what we see ought to do with what we are, here is a mound in

which to fashion a large life. But Europe and Asia are present in more than

their physical aspects, or in long periods of their history. Their

civilizations also meet here.

On every side there is the pressure of a

dominant Oriental society and polity, with its theocratic government,

autocracy, the creed of Islam, polygamy, slavery, eunuchs, secluded and veiled

womanhood, men in long robes and turbans, sluggishness, repose, the speech of

Central Asia softened by the accents of Persia and Arabia, minarets, domes

surmounted by the Crescent, graceful but strange salutations, festivals which

celebrate events in a course of history not your own, and express joys which

have never gladdened your soul And mingling, but not blended, with this world

of Asiatic thought and sentiment and manner, is a European world, partly

native, partly foreign, with ideas of freedom, science, education, bustle,

various languages, railroads, tramways, ladies in the latest Parisian fashions,

church bells, the banner of the Cross, newspapers and periodicals from every

European and American capital, knitting scattered children to the life of their

fatherland.

Foreign communities in Istanbul

The members of the foreign communities in the

City of the Sultan do not forget the lands of their birth, or of their race and

allegiance. Though circumstances have carried them far from their native shores

and skies, physical separation does not sever them from the spirit of their

peoples. Nay, as if to make patriotic sentiment easier, foreigners are placed

under the peculiar arrangements embodied in what are termed the Capitulations,

whereby, in virtue of old treaties, they enjoy the privilege of living to a

great extent under the laws of their respective countries, with little

interference on the part of the Ottoman Government.

When your house is your castle, in the

sense that no Turkish policeman dares enter it without the authorization of

your Consulate or Embassy, when legal differences between yourself and your

fellow-countrymen are submitted to judges, and argued by barristers, bred in

the law which rules in your own land, when your church and school can be what

they are at home, and when you can forward your letters, not only to foreign

countries but even to some parts of the Turkish Empire, with a stamp bearing

the badge of your own Government, it is natural that European residents in

Constantinople should be able to preserve their special character, both after

living here for many years, and also from generation to generation.

Istanbul - European world

A Mohammedan polity is opposed to the

assimilation of strangers, unless the aliens become converts to Islam. Whatever

process of assimilation goes on in Constantinople appears in the slow changes

of the East towards some likeness to the West Otherwise, the European

world is as present to the view as the Asiatic, and together

they spread a wide vista before the mind.

Furthermore, what a broad outlook does the

heterogeneous population afford! Whether you walk the streets or stay at home,

on the mart of business, at all large social gatherings, in all public

enterprises, you deal with diverse nationalities and races. Everywhere and

always a cosmopolitan atmosphere pervades your life. One servant in your

household will be a Greek, another an Armenian, a third a German or an

Englishman. Your gardener is a Croat, as tender to flowers as he is fierce

against his foes. The boatmen of your cacique are Turks.

In building a house, the foundations are

excavated by Lazes; the quarrymen must be Croats; the masons and carpenters are

Greeks and Armenians; the hodmen, Kurds; the hamals, Turks; the plumbers,

Italians; the architect is an Englishman, American, or a foreigner of some

other kind; the glaziers must be Jews. Fourteen nationalities are represented

by the students and professors of an international college.

Pilgrimages comes round

When the season of pilgrimages comes round,

the streets are thronged by Tartars, Circassia’s, Persians, Turcoman, on their

way to Mecca and Medina, wild-looking fellows in rough but picturesque garb,

staring with the wonder and simplicity of children at the novelties they see,

purchasing trifles as though treasures, yet stopping to give altos to a beggar,

and groping for the higher life.

Nor is it only in great matters that this wideness of human life comes home to the mind in Constantinople. It is pressed upon the attention by the diversity that prevails, likewise, in matters of comparatively slight importance; in such an affair, for example, as the calculation of time. For some, the pivotal event of history is the birth of Christ; for others, it is the Flight of Mahomet from Mecca to Medina, and accordingly, two systems of the world’s chronology are in vogue.

One large part of the populations still adheres to the primitive idea that a new day commences at sunset, while another part of the community defers that event until the moment after midnight. Hence in your move-mints and engagements you have constantly to calculate the precise time of day according to both views upon the subject.

Gentleman from Istanbul

On the occasion of a visit to a Turkish

gentleman in his garden, it so happened that two of his

nieces, not knowing that any one was calling, came to greet their uncle.

Surprised at seeing a man with him, the young ladies started back, as gazelles

might start at the sight of a hunter. Their uncle, however, summoned them to

return, and with extreme courtesy introduced them to his visitor, with the

information that one of the young ladies could speak English. Conversation in

that language had not gone far, when another gentleman was announced. Instantly

the girls sprang to their feet and darted away as for dear life. “See,” said

the uncle in tones of mingled vexation and sorrow, “See what it is to be an

educated Turkish lady!”

A Turkish gentleman of high rank wishing

his daughters to enjoy the advantage of a European education, but anxious to

spare them as much as possible the chagrin and ennui of being educated above

the station of a Turkish lady, hoped to attain his object by having his girls

learn to speak French without being able to read in that language. Such

experiences are disheartening. But, as the pale flowers which come ere winter

has wholly gone herald the spring and foretell the glory of summer, so the

recent improvements in the lot of Turkish women, however slight they may appear

meantime, warrant the hope of further progress and final emancipation.

EPILOGUE

To live in Constantinople is to live in a

very wide world. The city, it is true, is not a seat of lofty intellectual

thought. Upon none of its hills have the Muses come to dwell. It is not a center

of literary activity; it is not a home of Art Here is no civic life to share,

no far-reaching public works of philanthropy to enlarge the heart, no

comprehensive national life to inspire patriotism, no common religious

institutions to awaken the sense of a vast brotherhood enfolded within the same

great and gracious heavens. If one is so inclined, it is easy for life here to

be exceedingly petty. And yet, it is certain that to live in Constantinople is

to live in a wide world. It is not for any lack of incentive that a resident

here fails “to think imperially” or to feel on an imperial scale.

When a man possessed by the genius of the

place quits the city to reside elsewhere, the horizon of his life contracts and

dwindles, as when a man descends from the wide views of a mountain peak to the

life pent within the walls of a valley. For nowhere else is the mind not only

confronted, but, if one may thus express it, assailed by so many varied

subjects demanding consideration, or the heart appealed to by so many interests

for its sympathy.

Spiritual guide

A pupil complained to his spiritual

guide of being much disturbed by impertinent visitors, who broke in

upon his valuable time, and he asked, How he could get rid of them? The

superior replied, “To such of them as are poor, lend money, and from those that

are rich ask something, when you may depend upon not seeing one of them again.”

If a beggar was the leader of the army of Islamism, the infidels would flee to

China through fear of his importunity.

Actions correspond

A lawyer said to his father, “Those fine

speeches of the declaimers make no impression on me, because 1 do not see that

their actions correspond with their precepts: they teach

people, to forsake the world, whilst themselves accumulate property. A wise

man, who preaches without practicing, will not impress others. That person is

wise who abstained from sin, not he who teaches well to others whilst himself committee

evil.

The wise man who indulges in sensual

gratifications, being himself bewildered, how can he guide others? ” The father

replied, “0 my son you ought not, merely from this vain opinion, to reject the

doctrines of the preacher, thus pursuing the paths of vanity, by imputing

errors to the learned; and whilst you are searching for an immaculate teacher,

are deprived of the benefits of learning; like the blind man, who one night

falling into the mud, cried out, ‘  Moslems bring a lamp to show me the way ? ’ An

impudent woman, who heard him, said, ‘You cannot see a lamp, what then can it

show you? ’

Moreover, the society of the preacher

resembles the shop of a trader, where, until you pay money, you cannot carry

away the goods; and here, unless you come with good inclination, you will not

derive any benefit. Listen to the discourse of the learned man with the utmost

attention, although his actions may not correspond with his doctrine. It is a

futile objection of gainsayers that, ‘How can he who is asleep awaken others? ’

It behooved a man to receive instruction, although the advice be written on a

wall.”

Certain holy man

A certain holy man having

quitted a monastery and the society of religious men, became a member of a

college. I asked, what was the difference between being a learned and a

religious man that could induce him to change his society? He replied, “The

devotee saves his own blanket out of the waves, and the learned man endeavors to

rescue others from drowning.”

Power of intoxication

A drunken man was sleeping on the highway,

overcome by the power of intoxication; a devotee

passed by, and beheld his condition with detestation. The young man lifted up

his head, and said, when you meet an inconsiderate person, pass him with kindness;

and when you see a sinner, conceal his crime and be compassionate. 0 thou, who

despisest my indiscretion, why dost thou not rather pity me? 0 holy man, avert

not thy face from a sinner, but regard him with benignity. If my manners are

unpolished, nevertheless behave yourself towards me with civility.”

Dispute Durwesh

A company of dissolute men came to dispute

with a Durwesh, and made use of improper expressions; at which being

offended, he went to his spiritual guide and complained of what had happened.

He replied, “0 my son, the habit of a Durwesh is the garment of resignation;

whoso ever weareth this garb and cannot support injuries, is an enemy to the

profession, and is not entitled to the dress. A great river is not made turbid

by a stone; the religious man who is hurt at injuries, is as yet but shallow

water. If any misfortune befilth you, bear with it, that by forgiving others

you may yourself obtain pardon. O my brother, seeing that we are at last to

return to earth, let us humble ourselves in ashes before we are changed into

dust.”

Bughdad

Attend to the following story. In the city of Bughdad there happened a contention between the Flag and the Curtain. The Flag, disgusted with the dust of the road and the fatigue of marching, said to the Curtain in displeasure, “You and myself are school-fellows, both servants of the Sultan’s court. I never enjoy a moment’s relaxation from business, being obliged to travel at all seasons ; you have not experienced the fatigue of marching, the danger of storming the fortress, the perils of the lesser, nor the inconveniences of whirlwinds and dust ; my foot is more forward in enterprise, why then is thy dignity greater than mine ?

You pass your time amongst youths beautiful as 1 he moon, and with virgins odoriferous as Jasmin; I am carried in the hands of menial S; reams, and travel with my feet in bands and my head agitated by the wind.” The Curtain replied, “My head is placed on the threshold, and not, like yours, raised up to the sky; whosoever through folly exalts his necklace, precipitates himself into distress.”

Necessary perform conditions

The following story will exemplify what has been said above:—A King, having some weighty affairs in agitation, made a vow that, in case of success, he would distribute a certain sum of money amongst men dedicated to religion. When, on his wish being accomplished, it was necessary to perform the conditions of his vow, he gave a purse of dimers to one of his favorite servants, to distribute amongst the Zahids. It was said that the youth was wise and prudent.

The whole day he wandered about, and at night, when he returned, he kissed the money, and laid it before the King, saying that he had not found any Zahids. The King replied, “What a story is this since I myself know four hundred Zahids in this city.” lie replied, “0 lord of the world those who are Zfihids will not accept of money, and they who take it are not Zahids.” The King laughed, and said to his courtiers, “So much as I want to favor this body of men, the worshippers of God, this saucy fellow thwarts my inclination, and he has justice on his side. If a Zahid accepts direms and dinars, you .must seek somewhere else for a religious man.”

Consecrated bread

They asked a certain wise man, what was his

opinion of consecrated bread? He replied, “If

they receive it in order to compose their minds and to promote their devotions,

it is lawful; but if they want nothing but bread, it is illegal. Men of piety

receive bread to enjoy religious retirement, but enter not into the cell of

devotion for the sake of obtaining bread.”

Durwesh

A Durwesh came to a place where the master of the house was of a hospitable disposition. The company consisted of persons of understanding and eloquence, who separately delivered a joke or pleasantry, in a manner becoming men of wit. The Durwesh having travelled over the desert, was fatigued, and had not eaten anything. One of the company observed to him merrily, that he also must say something.

The Durwesh replied, that he did not possess writ and eloquence like the rest, and neither being learned, he hoped they would be satisfied with his reciting a single distich. They one and all eagerly desired him to speak, when he said, “ I aiii a hungry man, in whom a table covered with food excites strong appetite, like a youth at the door of the female bath.” They all applauded, and ordered the table to be laid for him. The host said, “ 0 my friend, stop a little, as my servants are preparing some minced meat.” The Durwesh raised up his head, and said, “ Forbid them to put forced-meat on my table, for to the hungry, plain bread is a savory dish.”

Marriageable

A certain lawyer had a very ugly daughter

who was marriageable; but although he

offered a considerable dower and other valuables, no one was inclined to wed

her. Brocade and damask will appear disgusting on a bride who is ugly. In

short, through necessity, he married her to a blind man. It is said that, in

the same year there arrived from Ceylon a physician who could restore sight to

the blind. They asked the father, Why lie would not have his son-in-law cured? He

said, ‘‘ Bee: Use he was afraid that if lie should recover his sight, he would

divorce his wife. It is best that the husband of an ugly woman should be

blind.”

Conqueror of kingdoms

A certain King regarded with contempt the

society of Durweshcs; which one of them having the penetration to discover,

said, “O king in this world you have the advantages of us in external grandeur,

but with regard to the comforts of life we are your superiors : at the time of

death we shall be your equals ; and at the resurrection our state will be

preferable to yours ”

Although the conqueror of kingdoms enjoyed absolute sway at the same time that the Durwesh may be in want of bread, yet in that hour when both shall die, they will cany nothing with them but their winding-sheets. When you wish to make up your burthens for quitting this world, the state of the beggar will be preferable to that of the monarch. The Durwesh exhibits a patched garment and shaved hair, but in truth his heart is alive and his passions subdued. He is not a person that will advance his pretensions among mankind; and if men oppose his inclination, he will not engage in strife. If a mill-stone should roll down from a mountain, he has but little faith who gets out of the way of it.

The Durwcsh’s course of duty consists in invoking and praising God, in obeying and worshipping him in giving alms, in being content, in believing the unity of the Deity, and in reliance on God with patient resignation to His will. Whosoever is endowed with these qualities is a Durwesh indeed, although he be arrayed in a robe; and, on the contrary, an idle prater who neglects his prayers and is a slave to his passions, who turns day into night in sensual gratifications, and night into day in drowsy indolence, eating anything that falls in his way, and saying whatever comes uppermost, such an one is a profligate, although he wears nothing but a blanket. 0 thou, whose inward parts are void of piety and whose outside beareth the garb of hypocrisy, hang not a gorgeous curtain before the door of a house constructed of reeds.

Inquired the cause

A holy man saw a wrestler distracted and

foaming at the mouth with rage: he inquired the cause,

and was told someone had given him -abuse. He said, “This paltry fellow, who

can lift a stone of a thousand pounds’ weight, is not able to bear a single

word. Resign your boasting pretensions to strength and fortitude; you

weak-spirited Vetch what is the difference between such a man and a woman? Show

your power by engaging others to speak kindly to you; it is not courage to

drive your fist against another man’s mouth, if you are able to tear the front

of an elephant; he is no man who hath not humanity. The sons of Adam are formed

of humble earth; if you possess not humility, neither are you a man.”

Character of his brethren

They interrogated a learned man concerning

the character

of his brethren, the Soofees. He answered, “The meanest of

their excellences is, that they prefer gratifying the desire of their friends

to attending to their own affairs; and the sages have said, ‘The brother who is

intent upon his own affairs, is neither brother nor relation:’ your fellow-traveler,

if he walks faster than yourself, is not your companion; place not your

affections on any one who is not attached to you. If there be not religion and

piety amongst relatives, it is best to break off connections with our kindred.”

I recollected that an adversary objected to

the sentiment in the above distich, and said, that in the Koran the highest God

has forbidden that we should break off connection with relatives, and has

commanded us to prefer friendship with relations to that of others; and that

what I had said above was contrary to this precept. I replied, “You are

mistaken, it agrees with the Koran.

 ‘If

your parents insist that you should join as partners with me those things of

which you are ignorant, then do not obey them.’ A thousand relations, who are

ignorant of God, ought to he sacrifices for one stranger who acknowledges him.”

Merry fellow of Bughdad

A merry fellow of Bughdad married

his daughter to a shoe-maker. The little man having a flinty heart, bit the

girl’s lips in such a manner that they trickled with blood. In the morning her

father, beholding her in such plight, went to his son-in-law and said to him, “0

you worthless fellow what kind of teeth have you got thus to chew her lips, as

if they were made of leather? I am not speaking in jest; leave off’ your jokes,

and have your legal enjoyment.” When bad manners become habitual, they cannot

be got rid of until death.

LIVE STOCK

The rearing of live stock constitutes an

important branch of the rural economy of the country. However, as we have seen,

pastures and fallows tend to diminish, being replaced by more elaborate

cultivation. For this reason, while decreasing his pastures, the Bulgarian

farmer increases his forage by the cultivation of various crops, the duel of

which are vetch and lucem. The total area occupied by lucem, vetch and wild

millet was, in 1892,31,342 hectares, and in 1899 88,455*84 hectares. The

quantity of these forage plants grown has, therefore, tripled in seven years.

The Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture each year distributes gratis a large

quantity of lucem seed, and exempts from all taxes ground sown with lucem.

The following table gives some idea of the

live stock of

Bulgaria:

Animal. Number

in 1893.              Number in 1900.              Proportional differenco More.

Less.

1             Horses                  343,946                494,557                4378

p  I.C.

2             Mules                   8,264    8,887     756         II

3             Donkeys              81,610  107,098                31*23    99

4             Cattle                    1,425,781           1,596,267            ii*95       99

5             Buffalos               342,193               431,487                26a09    II

6             Sheep                   6,868,291            7,015,385            2*14      II

7             Goats                    1,263,772            1,405,190            II*I9       99

8             Pigs                        461,635               367,501                —           20.39

p,

9             Poultry                 3,426,637           4,751,751            38*86    99

Improvement of the different animals

The improvement of the different animals

is brought about by means of selection. Another system that obtains in Bulgaria

is crossing native breeds with the best breeds of other countries. To this end,

the Government seconds the efforts of permanent commissions in the provinces

and of the agricultural cooperative societies. There are in the Principality

five large State depots for stallions and a certain number of stations for

cattlebreeding, especially near the agricultural colleges of Sadovo

(Philippopolis) and Roustchouk. The Government awards prizes to the breeders

who specially distinguish themselves, and helps them in the purchase of

pedigree beasts for breeding purposes. Dairies, which play so important a part

in farm management, and which, though as yet only in their beginning in

Bulgaria, will certainly develop enormously, are the object of special

attentions on the part of the Government.

On the whole, the State agricultural

institutions are rapidly developing, and so are the agricultural enterprises

due to private initiative. A special section of the Ministry of Commerce and

Agriculture (created in 1894) is concerned with the superintendence of

everything relating to agriculture in the Principality. This section is

subdivided into other sections, occupied with the respective branches of

agriculture, viticulture, fruitgrowing, cattlebreeding, and beekeeping. The

whole country is divided into fortyfour agricultural districts, under the

management of agricultural inspectors. It is the duty of these inspectors to

see to the carrying out of the various agricultural laws (village police,

phylloxera, silkworms, eggs, etc.), and to promote useful knowledge of farm

management by organising lectures, demonstrations, etc.

LANDED PROPERTY AND AGRICULTURE

With a total area of 9,570,450 hectares,

the Principality of Bulgaria contains:

(1)          2,156,701*05

hectares of inhabited area, roads, rivers, etc.; in all 22*54 per cent, of the

total area.

(2)          2,867,870*79

hectares of forest; 29*96 of the total area.

(3)          2,975,386*21

hectares of arable land; 31*09 p.c. of the total area.

(4)          352,404*36

hectares of meadow land; 3*68p.c. of the total area.

(5)          124,680*08

hectares of gardens, orchards, rose gardens and vineyards; 1*30 p.c. of the

total area.

(6)          123,207*64

hectares of marshes, reed beds, islands, thickets, and salt marshes ; 1*29 p.c.

of the total area.

(7)          970,199*87

hectares of pasture land, 10*14 p.c. of the total area.

We see from these figures that the total

area of ground susceptible of cultivation is 4,422,670*52 hectares, or 46*21

p.c. of the area of the country. Governmental statistics prove that the greater

part of the arable land and of that suited to any kind of culture comes more

and more under cultivation. About the year 1892 2,623,312 hectares were being

cultivated, that is 59*30 p.c. About the year 1897 these figures rose to

3,452,470*65 hectares, 78 p.c. The remaining 22 p.c. is pasture land.

As regards ownership, the total area of the

Principality is divided into:

(1)          Private

property: 3,977,55772 hectares, or 41*56 p.c. of the total area.

(2)          Parish

property: 2,291,156*50 hectares, or 23*94 p.c. of the total area.

(3)          Inhabited

area, rivers, roads : 2,156,701*05 hectares, or 22*54 p.c. °f the total area.

(4)          State

property : 1,015,903*23 hectares, or IO*6I p.c. of the total area.

(5)          Property

belonging to churches, schools, monasteries, etc.: 29,131*50 hectares, or 1*35

p.c. of the total area.

Total: 9,570,450 hectares.

Inhabited area

So that, without counting the inhabited

area, rivers, roads, etc., the area that can be turned to account is

7,413,748*95 hectares, 3»977»5577a °f which belong to private owners;

3,428,466*9 hectares belong to 546,084 proprietors who live on their own land;

599,090*8 hectares belong to 253,504 proprietors who do not live on those

lands.

The following table gives details relating

to the distribution of the property of the former class:

                Number

of Proprietors.                Area of

each property.  Total area of the

properties of each class.

1             65,870                   up to     5 ddcar.               157,227*2

d4c.

2             37,256   from      5

to        10           99           278,367*9

..

3             59,735                   10 to     20           99           895,795’6

4             54,841   •9           20

to     30           99           1,373,820*1 „

5             49,637   99           30

to     40           99           1,735,5i5 5 ..

6             44,093   99           40

to     50           99           1,982,240*6 „

7             85,177   99           50

to     75           99           5,254.165*9 „

8             53,4*8  99           75

to     100         »»          4,618,268*4 „

9             53,oi8    99           100

to   150         99           6,419,925 »

zo           21,108   99           150

to   200         99           3,621,738*7 „

IT            14,112   f»            200

to   300         99           3,390,952*9 „

Land devoted to agriculture

The land devoted to

agriculture, strictly so called, which as we have seen was in the

year 1899 about 2,046,791 hectares, added to that under other cultivation

(vineyards, rose gardens, orchards and meadows), gives a total of 2,520,401

hectares of productive land. The following table shows the uses to which it is

put:

2 Oleaginous plants        9,883     15,89139              6079     

3 Vegetables     10,333   32,94179              21879    tt

4 Other culinary plants  20,012   31,89237              59*36    tt

5 Forage              343,342                440,85920           2840      11

6 Vines 96,000   110,94287            15*56    11

7 Roses 4,352     5,09435                1704      *t

8 Orchards ..      2,158     5,16321                13924    i)

Total      1,680,927             2,520,401*00     49*94    tt

The annual yield of cereals is calculated

at 30,000,000 hectolitres in the following proportion:

Wheat                                  12,000,000          hectolitres.

Maize                                   7,000,000            99

Barley                                   5,000,000            99

Oats                                      2,500,000            99

Rye                                        3,000,000            99

Millet                                    300,000                99

Spelt                                     200,000                99

Total                                     30,000,000          99

As regards the quantity of its cereals,

Bulgaria occupies the tenth place after Sweden. As regards wheat and maize, it

occupies the eighth, as regards oats and rye, the tenth.

According to their fertility per head of

the population, the provinces of the Principality form three groups

(1)          14

hectolitres per head : Roustchouk, Varna, Bourgas, and Pleven.

(2)          11

hectolitres per head: StaraZagora, Timova, Shoumen, Vratza.

(3)          8

hectolitres per head: Kustendil, Philippopolis, Sofia, Vidin,

The primitive form of plough is still in

use. For some time past, however, modem agricultural implements which greatly

facilitate field labour have been introduced. The following table shows the

number of agricultural implements in use:

                Implements.      In 1897.                In

190s. Proportional increase or decrease.

1             Ploughs 365,877                391,225

+           6*92 percent.

2             Iron

Ploughs ..   32,399   38,923 +              20 „

3             Harrows               5,353     38,080 +              730

4             Drills      46           89

+       93

5             Reaping

Machines           731         1,385 + 86

6             Implements.

Threshing Machines       In 1897.

94           In

190s.

125 +    Proportions!

increase or decrease.

31 per cent.

7             Bolting

Machines             1,484     3,481 + 134         M

8             Winnowing

Machines 14,233      30,117 +              112         II

9             Mowers               1,748     3,318 + 87           II

zo           Haymakers         81           104

+    23           99

11           Watercarts         66           10,782

+              —           99

12           Crushing

Machines         80           207 +15875        99

Ministry of Commerce and Agriculture

The Ministry of Commerce

and Agriculture actively encourages the introduction of perfected

machines. Its efforts in this direction are seconded by the Bulgarian

Agricultural Bank and by the National Agricultural Society.

Bulgarian farmer

The Bulgarian farmer has

not as yet quite learned the use of manures. In the province of Sofia sheep’s

dung is turned to account. In the StaraPlanina district, the Rhodopes, and

SrednaGora, where the earth is poor, and chiefly vines, roses, and fruit are

grown, manure is indispensable for fertilisation. Stable manure is the only

kind in use.

The principal industrial plants grown in

Bulgaria are tobacco, roses, and beetroot.

Tobacco culture is carried on chiefly in

the South and in the provinces of Silistria and Kustendil. The area of the

plantations is estimated at 3,000 hectares. The province of Haskovo has the

greatest yield, over 800,000 kilograms of tobacco yearly; then follows

Philippopolis, with 300,000 kilograms; Kustendil, 270,000 kilograms; Silistria,

210,000 kilograms. According to approximate calculations based on various

statistics, we may conclude that threefourths of the tobacco crop of the

Principality is consumed by the inhabitants and only a quarter is exported. In

point of view of quality, Bulgarian tobacco may be compared with the Turkish

tobacco of Macedonia and Enidj. Leaf tobacco for manufacture is sold at from 80

centimes to 1 franc 50 centimes the kilogram. The Bulgarian Government

encourages the chlture of tobacco by distributing seed of good quality, free of

cost, among the planters, by setting a bounty on the export tariff and by

authorising the Bulgarian National Bank toconsent to loans on the surety of

certificates granted to the planters until they are able to dispose of their

crops advantageously.

The rose crop is next in importance after

tobacco. The roses are used exclusively for the distilling of the famous

Bulgarian attar of roses, which is known and appreciated throughout the world,

and received the highest distinctions at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. The rose

gardens are limited to 148 parishes of the provinces of Philippopolis and

StaraZagora, and occupy a total area of 5,094 hectares. The quantity and

quality of the attar depend very much on the weather at the time of bloom and

gathering. The roses most cultivated in Bulgaria are the red rose (Rosa

damascena) and the white rose {Rosa alba). The best gardens are at Kazanlik,

Karlovo, Klissoura, and StaraZagora.

The following table shows the amount of attar exported

The cultivation of beetroot has been

introduced quite recently and is confined to the province of Sofia, where it

occupies 2,000 hectares. The sugar refinery near Sofia utilises the whole crop.

Hemp and rape are being more and more

grown—rape for exportation, and hemp for its fibre, which is used by rope

makers, especially in the large ropeworks near Sofia.

Rice is largely grown in the province of

Philippopolis and, to a certain extent, at Kotcharinova, in the province of

Kusten dil. The crop is estimated at two million kilograms yearly.

The yield of haricot beans is about eight

million kilograms yearly.

BULGARIA OF TODAY

Number of Proprietors.                Total area of the

Area of each property properties of each

class.

12           4,017     from      300

to 400          d&ar 1,372,8077 d6c.

13           1,593     >»           400

to 500          708,602 6

14           1,591                     500 to 1,000       1,051,1882

15           428         ff             1,000

to 2,000   577,745

16           96           »i            2,000

to 3,000   229,9085

17           56           ft             3,000

to 5,000   214,812 8

18           38           #t            5,000

and more               401,5861

Altogether 546,084 local proprietors,

owning 34,284,669 dicares, or 3,428,466’9 hectares.

Without reproducing the statistics

regarding the second class, we may state that the characteristic trait of

Bulgarian land tenure is the system of small holdings. The land is mostly in

thj possession of peasants. Another fact deserves attention: the nonexistence

of large estates in Bulgaria. Indeed, as we have just seal, the 34,284,669

dicares of the first class are parcelled out into 7,248,648 holdings, that is

about 4 dicares to a holding. As to the properties of the second class, their

total area of 5,490,908*2 dlcares is divided into 733,693 holdings, which

confirms the general rule.

One consequence of this parcelling out of

land in Bulgaria is the growing tendency of the more intelligent peasants to

round off their properties. As yet the attention of Bulgarian legislators has

not been arrested by this fact, and no special law has been passed dealing with

the rounding off of rural properties. Still, it is only just to mention that

the law of 1904 on the management of pasture ground contains certain clauses,

obviously meant to encourage and facilitate the rounding off of small plots of

land. In fact, this law decrees a discount of 40 per cent, in favour of

thepurchasers of small plots, when they come to an understanding with their

neighbours for the rounding off of their respective properties. Both parties

are at liberty to make one another all compensations necessary for the rounding

off of their properties. This law being of so recent a date, it is as yet

impossible to judge of its results.

Land under cultivation

We have seen that the total area of land

under cultivation about 1897 was 3,452,470*65 hectares. There

are two chief categories of cultivation : permanent cultivation (vines, roses,

orchards, natural meadows, etc.) which covers about 477,084 hectares, and

arable land, such as fields, vegetable gardens, fallows, etc., which cover the

greater area, about 2,975,386 hectares. In the latter class are the lands

devoted to agriculture strictly so called.

Our most usual system of agriculture is

that of double sowing, combined with ground tilled but left unsown (fallows).

This system is completed by pastures and natural meadows for cattlerbreeding.

In 1892, of the total area susceptible of cultivation (2,215,312 hectares),

1,272,927 were tilled and sown. At that time, therefore, about 42 50 p.c. of

the arable land lay fallow. Five years later, things were very different; of

2,975,386*21 hectares of arable land 65*11 p.c. (1,968,628*66 hectares) were

sown in 1897. Of the same quantity of arable land, 2,039,81071 hectares (67*60

p.c.) were sown in 1898 and 2,046,796*21 hectares (67*80 p.c.) in 1899. In

other words, the proportion of fallow land has been as follows :

In the eastern provinces, such as Varna and

certain provinces by the Danube, beside the system above described, there are

other combinations in use. According to one of these, the land is sown for

several successive years and then left fallow tor some time. The statistics

which we have just quoted include this class of fallow land which of course,

strictly speaking, are nof fallows. But be that as it may, the above table

shows that during the period of eight years the proportion of sown land has

increased and the fallows diminished, at the rate of 1130 per cent.; which is

an undeniable proof of progress in Bulgarian agriculture.