Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-01-13

are made the prunes of commerce,
and large part Of our supply comes
from Servia. Plums are the largest
and most valuable crop of the country.
The exports of dried prunes were
more than 10000 tons last year. and
from 10000 to 10000 tons were used
in the distillation of plum brandy
Servia is an agricultural country,
and out of a population of 2,312,OO0,
81 per cent are engaged in farming,
the number of individual farms be-
mig 293.421, generally comprising from
twenty to thirty acres each. Over
100000 acres are devoted to plum
trees. The next best crops are
wheat, grass and corn. but pigs are
one of the staple products, and after
the war with Bulgaria few years
ago in Servia was defeated, it was
proposed to pay an indemnity of a
million and half of swine instead
of cash. There are large focks of
| sheep and good deal of wool han
died. and the ranges are well stock
ed with cattle.
Whenever Servia has period of
peace the focks and herds increase
with great rapidity, and the wealth
of the country grows like compound
interest. Servia has been extensive
ly advertised as poor mans para
disc as the soil, climate and other
conditions are favorable for people
of small means. Farms can be
bought for small sums of money, and
the ranges for cattle and sheep are
usually public lands. which cost moth
ing except a small tax. which is paid
into the treasury of the township or
commune. Recently several factories
have been established. A German
company has built large beet sugar
factory within sight of Belgrade, ard
a linen factory has been erected by
Belgian capital. There are several
match factories, flour mills, tanneries
and breweries, and the government is
proposing to pay subsidies to en-
courage the Introduction of wooden
mills and other mechanical industries
in different parts of the country.
Servia is prospecting. There is
plenty of work at good wages, but at
the same time considerable immigra-
ton to the United States and to the
neighboring countries because of
disinclination among the young men
to spend five years of their lives in
the military service.
At market we saw bride in the
native dress, who had just come
from the church wh-'e the msrriag,
ceremony had been performed, and
was receiving the congratulations OF
her friends and neighbors, while her
proud husband stood at her side and
was waived. She was a buxom damsel
of the Swedish type, with blonde hair
and clear blue eye. Her head was
covered with peculiar turban. from
which hung clusters of silver coins
Long strings of coins were suspended
from necklace and girdle, and hung
over shoulders and hips, and must
have been very heavy. These were
her dowry. She had begun to save
them during her childhood, and in
stead of putting them in savings
bank had strung them together for
ornaments and had worn some OF
all of them on festive occasions to at
tract the attention of he eligible young
men of he neighborhood
They were of different denomina
tions, all silver, and were strung to-
gether with good deal of taste
The custom Of the country permits
bride to control ber dowry after mar
riage, and many women are able TO
preserve their wedding coins anG
transmit them to their children
Sometimes they are exchanged for
piece of land. a cottage,or cattle, and
sometimes the coins are taken, one
by one, from the string to meet emer-
gencies on domestic economy. AS
rule, however, the peasants of Ser
via are well to do. and as long as
peace can be preserved they are able
to live well and save money.