The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-03-27
PeriIs or Agriculture in Tyrol.


The persistence with which humanity
attaches itself to fertile land without re-
gard to danger is illustrated elsewhere
than here. The peasants on the slopes
Of Vesuvius push their cultivation and
plant their homes in the very track OF
possible lava stream, and, all the world
over, facility for obtaining livelihood
blinds the cultivator to all risks. Groh-
man says "In the Wild.Schonau,
North Tyrol, not few of the houses
are built ON such steep slopes that O
heavy chain has to be laid round the
houses and fastened to some firm object,
large tree or bowlder of rock, higher
mp. In one village off the Puster Thai,
and in two others off the Oberinn Thai,
many of the villagers come to church
with crampoons on their feet, the terri
BILE steep slopes on which their huts are
built-somewha like swallows nest on
wall-requiring this precautionary
measure. In Moos-a village not very
far from the Bremen, having popula-
tion of eight hundred nhabitants-more
than three hundred men and women
have been killed since 1853 by falls from
the incredibly steep slopes upon which
the pasturages of this village are situat-
cd. So steep are they, in fact, only
goats, and even they not everywhere,
can be trusted to Craze on them, and
the hay for the larger cattle has to be
cut and gathered by the hand of man. !"
1 have myself seen, in walking among
the hills, little stores of grass piled
against the upper side of protecting
trees, where it had been brought in
armfuls when cut by the spike-shod
mower. The haymakers gather their
little crops here and there on the steep
grass-patches, almost at the limit Of
vegetation, pack it in nets or in sheets
and bring it on their shoulders down
the steep and dangerous paths. My
earlier idea of an "alp" was that of o
level plateau at the top of the lower
mountains. Alps which are even nearly
level are very rare, especially among
the higher elevations. Generally they
are SO steep, so broken, and 30 inac-
cessible that one wonders how cattle
are got to them, and how they can be
trusted to Craze over them. These alps
are bounded by no fences, and it must
be an anxious task for those who have
the herds in charge to get them safely
together OF milking time. Each animal
wears its bell-not the hollow. sounding
dull cow-bell with which we are familiar,
but musical in tone, and heard for a
much greater distance. The alpine hut
and the Sennerin, or dairy maid, who
spends the whole summer in nearly
solitary attention to her arduous duties,
tion might depict. She is not the
dairy. maid OF poetry, nor is her tempo.
rary home filled with the more ethereal
pastoral associations. Yet these people,
too, have a romantic and imaginative
side to their lives, and are happy and
wholesome and content.
The agriculture of North Tylol, out.
side of the valley of the Inn, is mostly
confined to very small operations. A
few cattle, few sheep, little poultry,
a few small fields and a mountain pas.
ture, constitute the stock in trade or
which the industrious and frugal pBil
bring up their family in comfort and de-
cency, accumulate portions for thei,
daughters, and lay aside provision fol
their own old age. Labor-saving hardly
exists. Every thing is accomplished by
unmitigated and unremitted toll. In
youth and in early life the people are
stalwart, active and hearty but old age
comes very early, and at forty the vigo,
of manhood and womanhood is passed
the activity and vigor, but not the en-
durance; up to really old age even
slight little women carry enormous
loads in the baskets at their backs ur
and down steep and rough hillsidet
and mountain paths, where an unaccus.
toned tourist must puff and toll tc
move his own unencumbered person. -
George Il. Waring, J.. in Harper's