Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 24.djvu/742

Rh 700 WUKTEMBERG miles The average elevation decreases from south to north from 3280 feet to 2296 feet. The hills do not rise in peaks but in rounded summits and plateau -like masses and combs, separated from each other by the deep ravines of the streams. The south part of the Black Forest was called Mons Abnoba by the Romans, and the whole was known to them from the 3rd century as Silva Mardana. The name Silva Nigra appears in medieval Latin. This retired district, always somewhat over shadowed by the majestic beauties of the neighbouring Swiss Alps, was long unvisited and almost unheard of. Within comparatively recent years, however, it has become a favourite resort for summer visitors and tourists. Though not boasting any very striking mountain scenery, the Black Forest includes romantic and wild vales as well as smiling and picturesque valleys ; and the beauty of its streams and waterfalls, its fragrant and shady forests, the quaintness of its sequestered villages, and the primitive sim plicity of its inhabitants, who still retain their peculiar costume, are all objects of interest. About two-thirds of the Black Forest belongs to Baden and the remaining third to Wiirtemberg; but it is convenient to disregard the political boundaries, and to consider it as formed of the Southern or Upper and the Northern or Lower Black Forest, separated from each other by the deep and romantic gorge of the Kinzig. The principal rocks are stratified gneiss and eruptive granite, though some of the summits are porphyritic. In the north and east those rocks are covered with a tolerably thick layer of variegated and red sandstone, which also appears, though not so abundantly, in the south and west. The kernel of the Southern Black Forest is the Feldberg (4803 feet), the highest point in the range, round which the other summits and masses are grouped. Among the chief summits are the Belchen (4640 feet), the Erz- kasten (4218 feet), the Hochkopf (4150 feet), and the Kandelberg (4077 feet). The average height of the crest in this division of the forest is about 3300 feet. The chief streams are the Wutach, Alb, Wehra, Wiese, Neumagen, and Dreisam, all tributaries of the Rhine, and the Brege and Bregach, regarded as the head-waters of the Danube. On. the eastern slopes lie the Feldsee, Titisee, Schuchsee, and numerous other small lakes, most of them in bleak and solitary situations among the extensive moors. The waterfall on the Gutach, at Triberg, is 170 feet high. The central height of the Northern Black Forest is the Hornisgrinde (3825 feet), on the border between Wiirtemberg and Baden. Other heights are the Hohe Ochenskopf (3460 feet), the Hohloh (3225 feet), and the Kniebishohen (3180 feet), with the Knit-bis Pass. The average height of the crest is 2470 feet. The principal streams are the Kinzig and Murg, which join the Rhine, and the Glatt, Enz, and Nagold, which fall into the Neckar. The eastern slopes of this division also are sprinkled with lakes, the chief of which are the gloomy Mummelsee and the Wildesee. As the name implies, the Schwarzwald is largely covered with forests, chiefly of pines and firs. Oaks, beeches, &c., also nourish, especially in the valleys and towards the west. The timber trade and its cognate industries are thus the chief resources of the in habitants. The felled timber is floated in the form of rafts down the numerous streams to the Neckar or Rhine, where larger rafts are formed, sometimes requiring a crew of several hundred men, for the voyage to Holland, the principal market. The increase of railways has, however, considerably diminished the quantity of wood thus exported by water ; and numerous sawmills within the limits of the forest are engaged in cutting timber into planks for export by rail. Perhaps, however, the most characteristic industry of the Bl :ck Forest is the manufacture of wooden clocks (often spoken of as &quot;Dutch clocks&quot;). This industry has long flourished in the district, and has recently been organized and extended, while considerable factories have been established at Furtwangen, Triberg, and other chief centres. Clocks to the value of about 2,000,000 are said to be annually produced, and 1400 persons are engaged in their manufacture. Musical-boxes are also extensively made here. Straw-plaiting occupies a large number of girls and women, especially in winter ; and glass-blowing, charcoal-burning, and potash-boiling are also carried on. Agriculture is of no great importance, as the soil is poor, and the crops scanty. Cattle are kept in considerable numbers ; they are driven up to the mountains in summer, and return to the valleys in autumn. The mining in dustry is quite insignificant ; coal is worked to a small extent in and near Rotliegeuden. In spite of their industrial resources, aided by the wealth introduced by tourists and visitors to the numerous mineral springs, the population of the Black Forest is too numerous to find support at home, and large numbers go abroad as pedlars, merchants, servants, &c. The climate of the Schwarzwald is severe, but healthy. The forests cease at 4250 feet, and are succeeded by scanty grass and herbs. On many of the summits snow lies for ten months in the year, yet in some of the valleys vines, almonds, and chestnuts ripen. Wild boars, deer, hares, foxes, and various kinds of game are found, The carriage-roads follow the valleys, but innumerable footpaths lead in all directions through the magnificent woods. The Black Forest railway, opened in 1873, ascends the picturesque valleys of the Kinzig and Gutach by means of bridges, viaducts, and tunnels, often of the boldest construction. To the south of the Rauhe Alb the plateau of Upper Swabia stretches to the Lake of Constance and eastwards across the Iller into Bavaria. Between the Alb and the Black Forest in the north-west are the fertile terraces of Lower Swabia, continued on the north-east by those of Franconia. About 70 per cent, of Wiirtemberg belongs to the Rivers. basin of the Rhine, and about 30 per cent, to that of the Danube. The principal river is the Neckar, which flows northward for 186 miles through the country to join the Rhine, and with its tributaries drains 57 per cent, of the kingdom. On the west it receives the Enz, swelled by the Nagold, and on the east the Fils, Rems, Murr, Kocher, and Jagst. The Danube flows from east to west across the south half of Wiirtemberg, a distance of 65 miles, a small section of which is in Hohenzollern. Just above Ulm it is joined by the Iller, which forms the boundary between Bavaria and Wiirtemberg for about 35 miles. The Tauber in the north-east joins the Main ; the Argen and Schussen in the south enter the Lake of Constance. The lakes of Wiirtemberg, with the exception of those in the Black Forest, all lie south of the Danube. The largest is the Federsee (640 acres) near Buchau. About one-fifth of the Lake of Constance is reckoned to belong to Wiirtem berg. Mineral springs are abundant ; the most famous spa is Wildbad, in the Black Forest. The climate is temperate, colder among the mountains climate in the south than in the north. The mean temperature and varies at different points from 43 to 50 F. The soil - abundant forests induce much rain, most of which falls in summer. The soil is on the whole fertile and well- cultivated ; and for many centuries agriculture was almost the only resource of the inhabitants. Middle and Lower Swabia are the most fertile districts. The removal of burdens and restrictions in 1848 and 1849, and intelligent state-aid, combined with the formation of agricultural societies, have encouraged farming, but the practice of parcelling the land in minute patches among the members of the communities still retards progress. According to returns made in 1878, 45 2 per cent, of the land was under agriculture, 30 7 under forest, 19 4 in pasture, 1 2 in vineyards, and the remainder unproductive. Grain is produced in excess of the home demand. The following table shows the average annual extent (in acres) Agricul- of the chief crops in 1878-1880, and the value : ture. Spelt... 492,000 3,001,410 Barley.. 225,000 1,288,200 Oats 334,400 1,475,470 Potatoes 194,900 718,600 Rye 96,800 493,475 Beetroot 49,242 340,200 Pease, maize, rape, hemp, flax, hops, and chicory are also pro duced in considerable quantity ; tobacco is grown in the valley of the Neckar. Wiirtemberg is very rich in fruit trees of various kinds, and market-gardening flourishes near the larger towns and in the Remsthal. In 1880 there were 35,000 acres under veget ables. The cultivation of the vine is a highly important industry in the valleys of the Neckar and some of the other streams. In the period 1827-1882 the average annual area under vines was 63,327 acres, yielding 5,701,454 gallons of wine, worth 411,700. The best year was 1835, when 22,303,006 gallons were produced, the worst was 1854, with 1,696,376 gallons. Among the best Wiirtemberg wines are those known as Rothenberger, Tiirkheimer, Lammler, Brodwasser, Kasberger, Elpinger, Schalksteiner, Weins- berger, Markelsheimer, Verrenberger, and Lindelbergcr. About one-third of the entire country is under forest, the greater propor tion of which consist of deciduous trees (oaks, beeches, &c.). Coni ferous trees are most numerous in the Black Forest, in Upper Swabia, and in the circle of Jagst. Most of the forests belong to the state or to public companies, and are carefully and skilfully managed. Large tracts in the Black Forest are in the hands of the &quot; SchifFergesellschaft,&quot; a very ancient guild of timber merchants. In 1883 Wiirtemberg contained 96,885 horses, 904,139 cattle, Live 550,104 sheep, 292,206 swine, and 54,876 goats. The breeding of stock.