The firing used here is either straw, or kisseek, which is the manure of the cow-yard, cut in the spring, and properly dried for the purpose : it is sold at twenty rubles per fathom, arid is used for the kitchen. Straw is from two rubles, to two rubles and fifty kopeeks per load, and is the only firing used here for heating the stoves. In many of the villages, near to those parts of the rivers which most abound with reeds, they constitute the chief, or only firing; yet the perfection of their stoves is such, that they are always adapted to the material by which they are to be heated, and they always produce a heat which makes the rigour of their winters not felt in the house.
The market of Nicolayeff is held on Mondays and Fridays : it begins soon after day-, break. Not only provisions, but all sorts of things are brought into market for sale ; more especially such articles as are either made by the sailors, or are worn by, or required for their use, or for the peasantry. The beef brought to market here, is the very best I have seen in Russia ; the mutton not so good. In the immediate vicinity of this place, there are few flocks kept, and those few are small ones. Of oxen they have large herds, these being more profitable. The butchers generally buy them poor in the spring, and send them, at a very trifling expence, to feed on the choicest Stepps H2 100 FISH MARKET.
till autumn, when they are killed for their tallow ; the fore quarters are boiled down for the fat, and the hind quarters of the bullock may then be bought to salt for winter use, as low as two rubles, to two rubles and fifty kopeeks per pood, which latter is about seven kopeeks per pound.
The fish market is most abundantly supplied ; in summer, in too great profusion for the consumption of the town ; in the spring and autumn they salt great quantities for winter provision, and on account of their fasts. The fish caught here, are the sturgeon, the beluga, the sudac, pike, carp, tench, thornbacka bitchkie, perch, roach, dace, bream, whiting, plaice, and sometimes turbot. Almost all fish here, are infinitely larger, as well as finer flavoured, than those of the same kinds in England*.
Vegetables are all very dear, especially those * The largest belugas caught in the Ural, weigh often five and twenty pood, and yield five pood of kaviarre. The sturgeon are about a fathom in length; the largest weigh five pood, and frequently contain apood of kaviarre. Toofa's Survey, vol. iii. p. 166.
which require attention in raising, and much water; and yet allmay be cultivatedon theStepp, except cabbages, which are brought from Cherson to the Nicolayeffmarket, and areworthabout 12 rubles the hundred. Onions are brought from the Crimea; so also are grapes and apples, and no fruit is abundant. Colonial produce is here, and in all other towns, somewhat dear. Crimean and Greek wines are to be had cheap. French wines much cheaper than in England. Bourdeaux 25 rubles per vedro, ( 10 quarts) ; Marcellas 30 rubles per vedro ; sherry and Madeira 35 rubles each ; brandy of two sorts, distilled from corn, the best of which is 14 rubles per vedro : there is also brandy distilled from fruit, which they call French brandy ; this is somewhat dearer ; and Cognac is 5 rubles the bottle. Malt cannot be bought except in very small quantities, and that by favour ; but a family who can manage to make their own malt, will have no interference from the excise officer, to prevent their brewing it, if it be for home consumption, and not for sale. This is equally applicable to all other parts of Russia.
At the time I was at NicolayefF, there were several English residents, though not all likely to be stationary there ; as some were employed in superintending particular departments in the dock -yard, and were to go from thence to Cherson.
I met at Nicolayeff, one of those gentlemen who were sent over to England some years ago, by the Russian government, to learn the system of English agriculture. He appeared to remember with pleasure, the time he passed in England. The policy of a plan, which seeks the attainment of knowledge by means unfitted for its end, is not very apparent ; and it is to be regretted, that men of at leastcommon capacity, were not selected for the acquiring a system, which was thought deserving ofso much trouble and expence. I remark this, because it is not the only instance in Russia, in which the want of skill in the professors, has endangered the reputation of that science or art they were expected to teach.
I was here during the celebration of the great festival of Easter, which has been so well, and correctly described by Dr. Clarke, in his account ofMoscow.