ABSTRACT
The balance sheet of economic resources is similarly mixed. Generally speaking, the quality of Germany’s agricultural land is considerably better west of the Elbe than in the eastern regions. Traditionally, much of East Elbia was extensively rather than intensively cultivated, with rye, potatoes, and sugar beets the prevailing crops; the areas west of the river lent themselves to dairy and truck farming. Along the steep slopes of the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, winemaking has been a tradition since Roman times.
