RUSSIA. This vast Empire ranks low in respect to produce, manufactures, and com merce, relatively to the vast area which it covers; but still it 'cannot fail to be important and even mighty when we consider at how many points it comes into near approach to fertile and prosperous lands. The 1,700,000 square miles of area in European Russia are far richer and more populous than the 4,800,000 square miles in Asiatic and American Russia, with the exception, perhaps, of the gold region of Siberia. Its great rivers (Volga, Milne, Dniester, Don, &c.) place the heart of the Empire in communication with the White, the Black, the Caspian,•and the Baltic seas ; and as Russia is for the most part a level country, the extent of navigable rivers is most remarkable. The energetic Czars of the Empire have striven to make these water communications still more complete, by cutting canals from river to river at certain points. One such canal, for instance, connects the Volga with the Neva; another connects the Volga with Lake Ladoga; a third connects Lake Onega with the Neva; and a fourth con nects the Volga with the Moskwa. The result has been that there is now continuous water communication from the Baltio and White seas in the North, to the Caspian and Black seas in the South; and an immense extension of mercantile traffic has taken place, by which • the corn produce of the empire is conveyed t whichever sea will lead to the best market.
In respect to agricultural produce, Bassi produces much more grain than is require' for the home consumption ; and considerahl quantities are exported, especially rye. Whea is the principal object of agriculture in th, fertile tracts along the rivers in the souther districts, but especially in the Ukraine. Barley oats, millet, and maize, are all cultivated Flax and hemp are more extensively growr than perhaps in any other country in Europe both the climate and the soil being very favour. able to their cultivation. Tobacco is much cultivated in the Ukraine, whence it is ex ported to the neighbouring countries. The climate is not favourable to the cultivation of fruit-trees; but in the most southern districts there are peaches, apricots, quinces, mulberries, and walnuts ; and in the numerous and ex tensive orchards of the Crimea there are also almonds and pomegranates. Grapes are grown in a few spots. Potatoes, cabbages, turnips, and carrots, are extensively grown; and in some places cucumbers, pumpkins, and radishes. Melons, asparagus, hops, and liquorice, are among the vegetable produce.
The forests constitute one of the principal sources of wealth to Russia ; and their pro duce, consisting of timber, fire-wood, tar, pitch, pearl-ash, and potash, is exported to a large amount. About three-fourths of the countries between 65° N. lat., and the course of the Volga as far east as its great bend near Casan, are covered with forests. In all these countries only pine, fir, larch, alder, and birch are found, with a few lime trees; ash trees are rare. From these countries is derived the greatest part of the produce of the forests which goes to foreign markets. The central provinces have in most cases no more timber than is required for their own use. West of the Dnieper several extensive forests occur on the banks of the Niemen and in the swamps of Pinsk and Ratnor. South of the swamps there are some forests of beech. The oak forests of Casan, Nischnei-Novgorod, Pensa, and Saratov, have engaged the attention of government, on account of their great im portance for the navy. The southern provinces of Russia are almost without trees.
Russia contains minerals in great abundance. Gold is found chiefly in the Ural Mountains, partly on the European side, but mostly on the Siberian side. The produce in 1846 was as follows : Private Mining 1190 poods.
Public 3Iining 187 „ 1677 poods.
. . . . , The total quantity obtained in 1847 was 11779 poods. The produce in the ten years 1837,40 was 8,387 poods of fine gold, which (at 30 lbs. avoirdupois = 1 pond) amounts to 366,931i lbs. troy, value nearly 19,000,000/. The produce seems, however, to be giadually diminishing; for the gold produce of 1818 was 1726 poods, and that of 1849 was 1587. Platinum was discovered in the Ural in 1823, and has been worked ever since; the produce in 1848 was 213 poods = 7608 lbs. Silver is met with only in the Asiatic governments. The quantity obtained in 1847 was 1190 poods. Copper and iron are extensively worked in the Ural, and in other places. Mercury, arsenic, nickel, cobalt, antimony, and bismuth, are met with, but are not much worked. Salt is found in various lakes, and a salt formation extends along the western declivity of the Ural Mountains, to the source of the Kama, and thence westward on both sides of the Uwalli. In all these districts salt is made from the salt springs, which are numerous. Coal exists in a few places, but not in large pantities. Other minerals are not much worked, with the exception of marble and granite.