Among these proprietors was the owner of Ivanofka.

Through the medium of a friend in Berlin he succeeded in engaging for a moderate salary a young man who had just finished his studies in one of the German schools of agriculture--the institution at Hohenheim, if my memory does not deceive me.

This young man had arrived in Russia as plain Karl Schmidt, but his name was soon transformed into Karl Karl'itch, not from any desire of his own, but in accordance with a curious Russian custom.

In Russia one usually calls a man not by his family name, but by his Christian name and patronymic--the latter being formed from the name of his father.

Thus, if a man's name is Nicholas, and his father's Christian name is--or was--Ivan, you address him as Nikolai Ivanovitch (pronounced Ivan'itch); and if this man should happen to have a sister called Mary, you will address her--even though she should be married--as Marya Ivanovna (pronounced Ivanna).
Immediately on his arrival young Schmidt had set himself vigorously to reorganise the estate and improve the method of agriculture.