Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IX. The economic resources of Russia with special reference to British industrial and commercial opportunities
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
THE ECONOMIC RESOURCES OF RUSSIA 107
consume 2,000,000 bales of 500 lb. each. It is worthy of
note that 90 per cent, of the machinery used in Russian
cotton mills is of British make.
Russian agriculture is also connected with cattle breeding
on a gigantic scale. Before the war, the live stock in Russia
comprised approximately 70,000,000 sheep, 50,000,000 cattle,
31,000,000 horses, and 13,000,000 pigs. A very considerable
trade is done in poultry, eggs, and game.
The vast distances of the Empire, the difference of climate
in its various parts, and the great accumulation of goods
at the special periods of the year when these are ready for
sale and exportation, make the question of cold storage a
subject of outstanding importance. British engineers have
played an important part in establishing refrigerating
apparatus, but more could be done by them in future to supply
Russia with adequate means of assuring perishable goods
a safe delivery to customers abroad.
Bacon.—In close connection with agriculture stand the
bacon, tobacco, fruit, wine, tea, fish, paper, and beet-sugar
industries. The bacon trade is chiefly due to English
enterprise and capital, and here we have a good example of how
English requirements can benefit Russian production and
develop its possibilities. The experiment of supplying the
Russian peasant with the best quality of pigs for bacon
has enabled even poorer peasants to take up the occupation
of fattening pigs. Hitherto only the wealthy peasant was
able to do this as the heavy-weight pigs for sale in Russia
had to be fed up during fifteen to eighteen months. The
bacon factories have created a new demand for light pigs,
which are ready in from five to six months. The advantage
for the pork breeder is such that the output of pigs can
easily be increased two or three times with the same capital.
There are at present eight bacon factories : two in Siberia,
one in Poland, one in the Baltic Provinces, and four in the
Central Provinces, but as soon as the war is over and its
economic effects have been overcome, this trade is bound
to increase as—once properly organised—it must be of great
economic value and promises to be a very lucrative business
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
