82 The Poultry of France. 



Economics in reference to Poultry. 



When attention had been thus directed to poultry at gatherings 

 over which M. de Lavergne presided, larger and graver inquiries 

 followed as a matter of course. The chief authority on agri- 

 cultural statistics in France (from whose countersign, even in 

 England our random "guesses at truth" in this department get 

 some sort of warranty for being gravely announced as " fact "), 

 at once took up the larger aspect of the subject, in which 

 M, Barral had to a certain extent anticipated him. 



To the number of the Journal d'Agriculture Pratique, for 

 January 5, 1865, M. de Lavergne contributed a paper on the 

 Importance of Poultry in France, from which I shall venture to 

 borrow largely. 



He therein shows that in 1840 no notice was taken of poultry 

 in the statistics of the empire ; in 1858 it was stated incidentally 

 that the proceeds amounted to 88 million francs (3,500,000/.), 

 derived half from poultry proper, and half from eggs and 

 feathers, an estimate much below the mark, as he proceeds to 

 show. 



With reference to eggs there are accurate accounts by which 

 that estimate may be approximately tested. First, the value of 

 the export trade, 24 million francs ; secondly, the consumption 

 at Paris, equivalent to 12 million francs: in all, 36 millions 

 — leaving only 8 millions for all the rest of France, even if the 

 feathers are quite left out of the account. Such an estimate is 

 therefore quite inadmissible. 



Since the population of Paris is one-twentieth of that of all 

 France, at Paris ratcsihe total value would be 240 million francs. 



M. Lavergne, however, admitting that the consumption per head 

 in the provinces is less than at Paris, considers it may be fairly 

 set at rather more than half as great ; and that the eggs, which at 

 Paris are worth 60 francs per 1000, average 40 francs per 1000 in 

 the country. He thus obtains a total of 100 million francs, or with 

 the export, 125 millions as the annual value of French eggs, and 

 considers this estimate to be under the truth. As to the poultry, 

 it is harder to generalise. That sold in Paris at 1 franc per lb. is 

 choice and dear : in the country it is not so much in use, and 

 cheaper. On the whole, he concludes that the poultry may, like 

 the eggs, be valued at 125 million francs (5,000,000/.) ; a result 

 sufficient to provoke further and more precise investigation, for 

 his estimates only profess to be tentative and approximate. At 

 this rate the consumption amounts to 5s. per head for the whole 

 of the population. 



For Paris a more exact account is kept, which exhibits very 

 striking results. The value of the poultry and game together 



