THE PLAINS constitute the great agricultural region of Hungary, and over two-thirds of their area is now devoted to arable farming. Wheat, which is the most important crop, is cultivated mainly in the southern part of the Alfold, but is also grown in the north about the Carpathian foothills, and in parts of the country between the Danube and the Theiss. In the Plains the average yield is from 20 to 22 bushels per acre, and in the whole of Hungary 18 bushels ; but, in obtaining the latter figure, considerable areas of relatively unproductive soil in the upland districts are included.
As a result of the climatic conditions under which it is grown, Hungarian wheat is hard and especially valuable for milling purposes. Maize ranks next in importance to wheat, and in some parts of Transylvania it occupies about one-half of the arable land, though on the plains the proportion is generally lower. Hungary is the chief maize-producing country in Europe, but the amount grown there is much less than in the United States. The greater part of the crop is devoted to feeding stock.
The production of rye is declining before the advance of wheat, and it is now cultivated mainly on the sandy soils in the west, and in some parts of the north of the country, as well as in some of the Carpathian districts. Barley and oats are grown in the uplands, and to a less extent in the lowlands. The area under beet has been widely extended within recent years, and sugar is manufactured in increasing quantities. Of other industrial plants, tobacco, flax, hemp, and hops are the most important.
In early times cattle-breeding was probably the chief pursuit of the Hungarian people, and it still holds an important place in the agricultural economy of the country, though its character has almost entirely changed. The natural pasture lands, over which the cattle formerly roamed, are rapidly decreasing in extent, while the area under fodder plants is largely on the increase. At the same time, scientific methods of breeding stock have been introduced, and the dairying industry is of growing importance.
Agriculture, which affords employment to over two-thirds of the inhabitants of Hungary, has made great progress within recent years, and in this progress the State has played a prominent part. Agricultural schools and experimental farms have been established in many parts of the country. Government help has been given to co-operative societies, more especially to those connected with the sale of agricultural produce. Colonies, in regions hitherto
uncultivated, have been established, and the margin of cultivation has been steadily pushed forward. The practice of husbandry has also advanced. The rotation of crops is now common over a great part of the country instead of the old three-field system, which still, it is true, survives in places ; and the proportion of land which lies fallow every year has been gradually reduced. On the other hand, nearly one-half of the agricultural area consists of small farms of from 5 to 100 acres, the holders of which do not yet seem to have adapted themselves with much success to intensive methods of cultivation, as far, at least, as the production of wheat is concerned ; while the large estates of over 1,000 acres, which occupy one-third of the agricultural domain, frequently suffer at certain times of the year from a scarcity of labour. The medium-sized farms are, unfortunately, disappearing, some being divided into small holdings, and others being absorbed by large estates.
Manufacturing industry was for long confined to supplying the more immediate wants of the people. With the great develop ment of industry in Austria after 1866, it became evident that, if Hungary were not to become economically dependent upon her more powerful neighbour to a greater extent than was poli tically expedient, it would be necessary for the State to encourage the development of native manufactures. This encouragement took the form of freeing from taxation for a number of years certain groups of industries. The law of 1907, for example, provides that for fifteen years new industrial enterprises manufacturing goods not hitherto manufactured in Hungary, or only manufactured in insufficient quantities, are to be exempted from a variety of taxes and tolls ; it also provides that desirable enterprises may be sub sidised by the State. It is yet too early to estimate the beneficial effects of this policy, but it has undoubtedly been of value.
The most important industry of the Plains at the present time is flour-milling, which has its centre at Budapest, and is based upon the large wheat production of the country. Sugar is manufactured mainly in the districts in which the sugar-beet is grown. Among other industries, carried on to a greater or less extent, are distilling and brewing, the manufacture of pottery and glass, the preparation of tobacco, and different branches of the chemical industry. The manufacture of textiles is still in an undeveloped condition.