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DOI: 10.34298/9788677431488257

UDC: 338.43:[631+636(497.11)“1890/1905“

pp. 257–272

language: serbian

Gordana Garić Petrović

AGRICULTURE IN THE KRALJEVO MUNICIPALITY IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY

Summary

In 19th-century Serbia, which was an exceptionally agrarian state, life in rural, as well as varoš settlements, was directly related to agriculture as the main activity of the bulk of the population. There were three types of urban settlements in the Kingdom of Serbia – towns, varošes and varošicas. The connection with the rural environment was particularly pronounced in varošicas, a group of settlements to which Kraljevo belonged. Varošicas were urban settlements with a small number of inhabitants. They most often had up to 2,000 inhabitants. With 2,000– 4,000 inhabitants, Kraljevo belonged to the second-in-size group of varošicas. A significant number of households in varoš municipalities possessed agricultural land. In 1893, there were 30,895 such households in varošes and varošicas, and 227 in Kraljevo. Unlike most varoš municipalities, the production of cereals and legumes was dominant in Kraljevo. In 1890, they were sown on 71% of cultivated land. The share of surfaces under vegetable crops was also considerable. Such distribution of cultivated surfaces influenced the almost insignificant share of forests and pastures, while vineyards occupied merely 2% or 2.5 times less than in other varoš municipalities. Of cereals, corn – accounting for 50% of surfaces – was cultivated the most, and was followed by wheat – 22%, barley – 15% and oats – 13%. Rye was cultivated in insignificant quantities. Perhaps the most significant difference in agricultural production in rural and varoš municipalities was the level of yield per hectare, which was higher on varoš land for all crops. Kraljevo stood out in terms of the yields of cabbage, watermelons, tomatoes and onions, which were multiple times higher even than yields in varoš municipalities. According to the 1895 livestock census, 3.5% of the livestock population was raised in varoš municipalities. Varoš municipalities stood out in terms of pig farming. Pigs were the most numerous, accounting for 37% of all livestock. Pig farming was even more pronounced in Kraljevo, where pigs made up 47% of the livestock population. The percentage of cattle and horses was also higher than in most other varoš municipalities, while sheep made up only 10% of the total number of heads of different types of cattle. The Agricultural School, established in 1882, was the cornerstone of agricultural development in Kraljevo and Pomoravlje. At the initiative of administrator of the Agricultural School Paja Todorović and teachers, on St Sava’s Day of 14 (27) January, an assembly was held in Kraljevo, and the Žiča Branch of the Serbian Agricultural Society was founded. On 25 and 26 August 1911, the Sixteenth Congress of the Union of Agricultural Cooperatives was held on the School premises.

Keywords: Kraljevo, agriculture, farming, livestock breeding, varošes.