CHEMICO-AGRICULTURAL TOUR. 131 



be seen in some of the fields a short distance from the town. 

 These wells, which are open at the top, are sunk at about a hun- 

 dred yards apart ; and over each three poles are placed, forming" a 

 triangle, to which is nailed a cross-piece of wood bearing a pulley, 

 over which passes a rope having a bucket attached to it, and by 

 this simple contrivance an abundant and convenient supply of 

 water is obtained for the irrigation of the plants growing in the 

 immediate vicinity of each well. Meaux is celebrated for a kind 

 of cream-cheese (Fromage de Brie,) which is made there in consid- 

 erable quantity ; but I must say that I was much disappointed 

 with it, and I fear that to mc^t Englishmen's palates it would bear 

 but a poor comparison with the " Double Gloucester." This town 

 also supplies Paris with a considerable quantit}' of corn from the 

 surrounding country, as well as with a good deal of flour from the 

 mills on the Marne. 



From Meaux I proceeded by the same line of railway eastward 

 to Strasbourg, en route to Heidelberg. In following this line of 

 railway running between Paris and Strasbourg, which is one of the 

 longest and most important lines in France, considerable variety in 

 the culture of the soil, and in its vegetable productions, is observa- 

 ble ; for in addition to the ordinary agricultural crops, especially the 

 .cereals, orchards, and gardens of fruit trees and culinary vegeta- 

 bles of various kinds, are to be seen here and there along the line. 

 Vines are also very extensively cultivated in the districts through 

 which the railway passes, particularly in the department of Marne, 

 which constitutes the central part of the ancient province of Cham- 

 pagne. In this department the culture of the vine for the produc- 

 tion of its far-famed Champagne wines forms the chief object of 

 the landholder's attention ; and I understand that Epernay, a town 

 which is passed along this route, is one of the chief marts for the 

 wines of this district. 



Leaving Epernay, the railway passes along the left bank of the 

 river Marne, through a region of vines ; and the celebrated vineyard 

 of Ai, which gives its name to one of the best sorts of Champagne 

 wine, is seen on the opposite bank. 



In crossing France by this route, I was much struck with the 

 curious system which prevails on most parts of the Continent, but 

 which is especially "observable in some of the departments of 

 France through which this Une of railway passes, viz., that of cul- 

 tivating the land in long narrow stripes, instead of fields or square 



