rdly
expensive one, for wood is entirely too valuable a commodity to be used
for such a purpose, but in this northern region the forests are so
boundless and the inhabitants so few that the latter do not make any
great inroad upon the former.

The agricultural year in this region begins in April, with the melting
snows. Nature which has been lying dormant for some six months, now
awakes and endeavors to make up for lost time. No sooner does the snow
disappear than the grass immediately sprouts forth and the shrubs and
trees begin to bud. The rapidity of this transition from winter to
spring certainly astonished the majority of us, accustomed as we were to
more temperate climes.

On the Russian St. George's Day, April 23rd, according to the old
Russian calendar, or two weeks later according to our calendar, the
cattle are brought forth from their winter hibernation and sprinkled
with holy water by the priest. They are never very fat at any time of
the year but at this particular period of the year their appearance is
almost pitiful. During the winter they are kept cooped up in a shed,
usually one adjoining the house or under the porch of same with very
little, if any, light or ventilation, and fed almostly exclusively on
straw. It is quite remarkable that there is one iota of life left in
them for when they are thus turned out in the spring they look like mere
ghosts of their former selves. With the horses it is a different matter
for it is during the winter months in this region that the peasants do
most of their traveling and the horse is constantly exposed to the
opposite extreme of exposure and the bleak wind and cold, but is well
fed.

Meanwhile the peasants are impatient to begin the field labor--it is an
old Russian proverb known to all which says: "Sow in mud and you will be
a prince," and true to this wisdom they always act accordingly. As soon
as it is possible to plough they begin to prepare the land for the
summer grain and this labor occupies them probably till the end of May.
Then comes the work of carting out manure, etc., and preparing the
fallow field for the winter grain which will last until about the latter
part of June when the early hay making generally begins. After the hay
making comes the harvest which is by far the busiest time of the year.
From the middle of July--especially from St. Elijah's day about the
middle of July, when the Saint according to the Russian superstition,
may be heard ru