Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-09-10
THE WAR PRIMER
BY National Geographic Society

Kovne-"A great addition to the
grain fields Of the Teutonic powers
has been accomplished with the cap
bin the government OF Kovno" says a
statement on war geography just is
sued by the National Geographic So
ciety. Highly developed estates
stretch throughout this government.
the greatest part of whose area con-
sists of rich farm lands. Harvest un-
varyingly produce an abundance here.
and before the outbreak OF the war
the farmers of Kovno exported to
their German neighbors large quanti-
ties Of grain. meat, milk, butter, cheese
and fowl. Here Russia wore an air of
general well being and progress, which
contrasted sharply with the marsh
and poverty -blighted lands to the
south.
more than 60 per cent Of the sur
face of Kovno government is yearly
under crops, and much OF the remain
ing area is devoted to the grazing of
| herds. Wheat, rye. oats, barley and
potatoes have been exported In in
creasing bulks after each succeeding
harvest, and the methods Of farming
have steadily improved. almost keep
! ing pace with the intensely cultivated
| farms in neigboring East Prussia. The
soil is very fertile black earth, and
| smaller areas are sandy clay. The
government Is we'll watered. with q
sufficient rainfall, and an intricate
system of drainage, carried to the
Baltic Sea by the Rivers Niemen. Du-
ma (Dvina), Windau and Couriand Aa-
These rivers are navigable. and have
navigable branches. Many lakes are
scattered over Kovno's surface.
'Dairying has achieved a fame in
the government almost equal to that
of Denmark's or Ffnland's carrying
The butter produced here completes
with that offered by the Firms, and
1 with all but the best and most ex-
pensive buffers offered by Denmark
ducts of the Kovno diaries before the
war for the brisk markets OF Berlin
Fine cattle and horses bred on Kovne
estates have attracted considerable
European attention during recent
years, the Russian animals vying sue
cessfully for points with those raised
upon the famous farms Of East and
} West Prussia In sections Of the gov
, eminent where numerous lakes and
ponds are sprinkled geese have beer
grown for market on a scale almos
as great as that in the geese breeding
, districts of Poland. The feathers ant
geese were largely marketed in Ger
many, where goose, roasted goose
forms a national excess. and tn
feathers enter inextricably into the ma
| lu6d1 Oh USuQtuBs
: "Kovno has an area Of 1857 squar
, miles. It's surface is level almost Z
D unbroken monotony, for IL continue
the unenlivened plain Of East Prug
STA. There are n few meagPe hills 4
- the government, elements of two loy
. ridges which nowhere exceed 500 fee
| In height above sea level. The larg
: est part of the government has bee
brought under the pillow, though NOR
| than 20 Per cent. is foreeted. Their
are some unimportant marshy areas
q climate Is relatively mild, when com
pared to other parts OF Russia TIL
mean temperature ut the city OF Koy
/. no, capital and drst-class fortress,
AZ degrees Fahrenheit The countr
supports in normal times about 1900
600 population.
: There Is practically no industri,
development In the region. Nearly a
of the Inhabitants are engaged In az
t riculture; while eommerce. river nay
n cation. fishing, forestry and home IL
Is dustry and milling also, claim
!, smaller percentage. The governmel
~ enjoys a considerable transit traI
and a significant part OF the Germa
export TO Russia poured through Ko'
q no before war days, through the cu
10 toms Offices at Yerburg and Taurol
l. gen. which on account of the Germs
= trade we're ranked among the mo
auians comprised nearly three-qua
}. tiers Of the population, with Jews 81
:. Poles the peoples of next nuaAeric
importancs. A sprinkhng OF Germ,
q and Russian landlords also took
AZ influential part tn the life of the go
OF eminent. The cities are yerv srni
and OF little influence