The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1924-02-22

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, y. c.
A German state that has made little
noise in the world either before or
since the World war, but which in
proverbial fashion has sawed wood
until 1t has become one Of the most
important regions of the old empire
and new republic, is Wurtemberg, mid
die member of the South German tri-
umvirate: Baden, Wurtemberg, Ba-
varia.
Wurtemberg with its 1900 square
miles is not large. 1t would make
only a fair-sized island in huge Prus-
STA and its near neighbor Bavaria
which indeed Is usually enormously
thought Of as very nearly making up
South Germany"-has an area -four
times as great. But throughout its
history Wurtemberg has been aggres-
sive, and like an aggressive individual,
1t has got ahead. A century ago it
was predominantly an agricultural
region, but by the time of the World
war it had probably passed all non
Prussian states save SaXony in indus-
try and commerce.
In both geographical and political
spheres Wurtemberg is a sort of foun-
tain-head of the German-speaking
world. In it's territory are head
streams Of both the Rhine and the
Danube. 1t was the heart Of old Swab-
Ia, q dominant duchy in the early Ger
man empire. The Hohenstaufen fam
lily, which ruled over the empire in
the Twelfth and Thirteenth centuries,
sprang from a hilltop castle in what
Is now Wurtemberg; and the ancestral
home of the Hohenzollerns who swayed
the destinies of the latest German en-
pire is in truth geographically a part
Of Wurtemberg, though politically it
Is a tiny island all but surrounded by
Wurtembergian territory.
There are two distinct phases to
Wurtemberg geographically: nearly
half the famous Schwarzwald or Black
Forest covers the western half Of the
state, as though it had flowed over from
Baden; while the eastern two-thirds
of the country Is cultivated hill, val
ley and plateau land, dotted with VII
lagos and cities that retain the flavor
of the Middle ages, and with castle
TONED hills that awaken memories Of
robber barons, whose descendants be-
came mighty rulers. II Is in the Black
Forest that wurtemberg's q~uaintest at
mosphere Is found. The forest takes
its name from the ~daYk-colored species
OF pine that cover It's mountains. This
heavy growth Of timber lies over hill
and dale like a huge, somber blanket
save on some OF the highest eminences
which protrude above the local timber
line. These interested places are COW
cred with a scanty growth OF grass
and herbs which affords p%asturage. The
climate is severe, snow lying on some
of these exposed heights for nine or
ten months OF the year.
Customs and costumes Of bygone
days fingered longer in the SchwarZ-
valid than In almost any other place
In Germany. But in recent decades
tourists in growing numbers learned
of it's charms, and modernity has
chased some of It's q%uaintness away.
Old Peasant Customs.
Black Forest peasants. however, have
not been pushed into unfamiliar ways
of life, but on their hillsides and In
their valleys continue to follow the
ways Of their forbears. One unusual
custom makes the youngest son of the
family the heir, while the older broth
ers must seek their fortunes beyond
the ancestral roof-tree. The heir
comes into his patrimony during the
lifetime Of his father. and the latter
continues to live In the home as n
patriarch and Nestor.
The houses Of the Black Forest are
q story in themselves. Almost invari-
ably they are built on a hillside. Sharp
ly-sloped roofs spring high into the
air 70 the observer from down hill. On
that side there may be five or moTe
I stories; and they sit solidly, covering