BAVARIA. This important country, like most others which have mountain ranges as well as wide plains and river valleys, is rich in varied produce. Few countries possess a more pro ductive soil than Bavaria. Agricultural indus try is principally directed to the cultivation of wheat, rye, barley, and oats. The grape is much cultivated in Bavaria, especially for the Franconian, the Steinwein, and the Leisten wein varieties. About 20,000,000 English gallons are supposed to be an average produce of Bavarian wines. Among other articles of Bavarian vegetable produce are hops, tobacco, flax, hemp, linseed, rapeseed, mulberry-trees for silk rearing, fruits of many kinds, coriander and other seeds, madder, the potato, and fod der for cattle. Most of the mountains are finely wooded.
The principal mineral products are iron, coal, and salt; gold and silver are found in small quantities, only in the waters of the Inn, Rhine, Danube, and Isar ; quicksilver, in the circle of the Rhine ; and copper, which was formerly raised in several quarters, is now confined to the works at Kahl •and Kaulsdorf, in the circle of the Upper Main. There are two mines of cobalt also on the latter spot, from which small quantities of tin, lead, and antimony have occasionally been obtained. The Upper Main, Rhenish Bavaria, Regen, Lower Danube, and Isar territories are the chief mining districts in Bavaria. Among the other mineral produce may be named black lead, sulphur, porcelain earth, marble, alabaster, rock crystal, asbestos, and many of the gems.
In Bavaria, as in many other German states, the profits arising from vast establishments, and the concentration of productive powers, are comparatively Unknown ; manufacturing industry is mostly diffused over a multitude of adventures on a small scale. The manu facture of linens, which is the chief, is not confined to a few large establishments, but is scattered over the whole state, and in many districts the agricultural population partly maintain themselves by weaving linen. Linen yarn is also spun in some districts, but not to any great extent, and chiefly for exportation. The manufacture of woollens and worsted hose is carried on principally in Ausbach, Baireuth, Lindau, Munich, and the Upper Palatinate ; but this branch of industry is in the hands of individuals, and not carried on in large factories. The supply is very inade quate to the consumption of the country, and sometimes the excess of imports over exports has amounted to 40,0001. per annum. There is a similar deficiency in the domestic supply of manufactured cottons; the use of improved machinery, however, is gradually increasing in many quarters, and additions are constantly making to the number of spinning-mills. The districts about Augsburg, Kaufbeueren, and Hof are the most important seats of this branch of Bavarian industry, and numbers are also employed in hand-spinning. The leather manufactories are of considerable im portance, but mostly carried on by numbers of small manufacturers. Bavarian calf skins are in great repute and largely exported, but sole leathers are not produced in sufficient quantity for the home demand. The supply
of paper, of which Aschaffenburg, Niirnberg, Fiirth,Aug,sburg, and Schwabach furnish many fancy sorts, is beyond the domestic consump tion. Schweinfurt and Mainberg possess large manufactories of paper-hangings, which are of excellent quality, and in much demand in other German states. Straw-platting has increased considerably of late years. The manufacture of looking-glasses and of glass for optical purposes is in a high state of effi ciency in Bavaria ; and the glass manufactures generally are very extensive. The manufac ture of articles in wood, and the felling, hew ing, and general manufacture of timber occupy thousands of hands. There are nearly 2000 sawing-mills in Bavaria for the preparation of boards, deals, and laths ; and almost as many families are wholly supported in Ammergau and Bcrchtesgaden by the manufacture of articles in carved wood, some of which are very beautiful. There are several porcelain manufactories at work ; that at Nymplienburg, not far from Munich, produces china which may bear comparison with the finest in Eu rope. The potteries and the slate-works are numerous. The working of the metals chiefly consists in extensive manufactories of iron ware, especially nails and needles, the export of which is considerable. There is a manu factory of arms at Amberg which supplies the army. The gold and silver smiths of Munich, Wiirzburg, Nurnberg, and Augsburg, are in great repute. Fire-arms, fowling-pieces, can non, brass-ware, gold and Silver leaf, employ a large number of workmen. The brewing of beer, in many respects the most important branch of manufacture in Bavaria, employs upwards of 5000 establishments, or taxed brewers, by whom about one hundred million gallons of beer are annually made. Many establishments and institutions exist in Ba varia tending to the encouragement of manu factures.
Though Bavaria is an inland country, its trade is greatly favoured by its geographical position, which has rendered it in some degree a central point between the, Mediterranean, the Baltic, and the German Ocean, and a medium of intercourse between the west and the east of Europe. Its excellent roads, rivers, and railways, have tended to the same result. The principal articles of export are grain, salt, timber, potashes, fruit, liquorice root, seeds, hops, cattle, sheep, swine, fish, flax, yarn, coarse linens, glass, leather, beer, ate. The imports are principally wines, cotton, coffee, sugar, rice, tobacco, drugs, sea-fish, copper, oil, hides and skins, hemp and flax, silk and silk goods, woollens, lead, furs, honey, and cheese.
Bavaria being an inland country, all British goods reach there by indirect means ; so that the amount can hardly be stated.
To the extent of her means, Bavaria is making preparations to occupy a place in the Industrial Exhibition of 1851. All the chief towns will be contributors, and many of the articles contributed will be of a peculiar cha racter.