Economic characteristic of indigenous people of the Lebedskaya volost’ of the Biysk district according to the All-Russian agricultural censuses 1917

Purpose: Article is based on data All-Russian agricultural census of 1917. On the example of the Lebedsky volost’ of the Biysk district (Tomsk province) authors tried to show possibility of materials of census and to give the economic characteristic of indigenous people. In the analysis of the economic characteristic by authors it was used the electronic Application allowing quickly is specially created and quickly to process a mass statistical material. It was created by the Altai scientists (Barnaul) for database formation on agricultural census of 1917 which can be used also successfully for accumulation and data processing of household cards on northern Altaians. Results: At Kumandins, Chelkans and Tubalars mowing which became economic base for development of stall cattle breeding was widely adopted. In economy horses had importance. In the majority of farms there were cows and sheep. Traditions of mowing were taken from Russians that allowed to expand economic base of indigenous people and their welfare. Under mowing it was taken away about a third of lands being in land use that testifies to mainly cattle breeding orientation of an economic complex of the Lebedsky volost’ within considered settlements. It is explained by difficult climatic, landscape features the territory of the considered volost’, a lack of lands for field husbandry and some other reasons. Hunting and nut trade it was characteristic for the sixth part of the considered farms. Probably, these traditional branches of economy by the beginning of the XX century already had commodity character. Agriculture was widespread to a lesser extent. The main sowing cultures were the spring-sown field, barley and oats. Flax and hemp were the main commercial crops. Distribution and use of plows and others earlier unknown to northern Altaians of agricultural equipment intensified agriculture development, allowed to expand cultivated areas and to introduce new lands into agricultural circulation. Data on existence of agricultural tools testifies to rather high level of agriculture in the Lebedsky volost’. Undoubtedly, motyzhny agriculture still practised the population in the remote parts of the Volost’. Conclusion: As a whole the analysis of a database of an economic complex of indigenous people of the Lebedsky volost’ testifies to its certain modernization under the influence of ethnocultural ties of indigenous people with Russians this region, and also involvement in the commodity-money relations and the local market.