ABSTRACT
The villages in this district are frequently divided between the Crown and private landowners. In general they are of a middle size, containing from five hundred to eight hundred inhabitants. The serfage of the Crown peasants has been abolished, as throughout the rest of Russia. The Court of Domains permits the transfer of the peasants from corvee to obrok service whenever they demand it. If any member of a family wishes to enter a trade, and become an artisan, the permission of the Court of Domains is necessary, but is never refused: this custom first came from Russia, and was introduced since Russian times.* There are no serfage taxes, properly so called; besides the peasants do service, but pay no taxes in natura.
