338 Novelties of Foreign Literature. 



dying an iniperfection otherwise insu- 

 perable. 



Gardens form a most estimable ac- 

 cessioa to the sources of French in- 

 dustry ; these comprise about 2,058,550 

 acres ; the forests, previous to t!ie re- 

 volution, occupied 18,850,515 acres. 

 In some countries, there is a great 

 scarcity of wood: where the inhabi- 

 tants are involved in this misfortune, 

 it has ever had the efl'ect of diminish- 

 ing tlie population. There is ample 

 giound for believing, that not above a 

 fifth part of the lands belonging to the 

 French community are in cultivation. 



la the division or dismemberment of 

 the national industry, there are some 



parts or great branches to which the 

 French seem peculiarly devoted. The 

 annual production of wine and brandy 

 has been computed at fourteen millions 

 of oxhofts, (each an hogshead and a 

 half,) about a quarter of which is ex- 

 ported ; in 1812, this was valued at 

 twenty-eight millions and a half of 

 florins. 



The quantity of corn grown is not so 

 considerable as to supersede the ne- 

 cessity of importation. In 1789, this 

 took place to the value of 26,000,000 

 of florins ; and, it will not be forgotten, 

 that, in 1811, an importation to the 

 value of 60,000,000 was absolutely ne- 

 cessary. Nor is the produce of flax, 

 hemp, rape seed, or snuff, equal to the 

 consumption. 



France abounds iu every kind of 

 game ; but, in general, the rearing of 

 cattle is but little regarded. The 

 number of horned cattle is not above 

 6,000,000; horses are computed at 

 1,200,000 ; asses and mules at half a 

 million, and hogs at 4,000,000. The 

 finest fleeces are jjroduced by the 

 sheep of Berry ; the Spanish race is 

 rapidly propagating by the establish- 

 ment of Rambouillet. The merit of 

 tlie breed is justly appreciated, and 

 acknowledgments are due for the 

 proper and necessary care exerted in 

 enlarging this important resource : 

 much wool, however, is siill imported 

 from abroad. 



From the silk-establishments in the 

 south, about 25,000 quiutuls are de- 

 rived ; wiiat is additionally requisite, 

 and to operate in conjunction, for the 

 manufacture of the tine fiibrics, comes 

 from Italy, Spain, and Asia. A de- 

 cline in the fislierics has taken place, 

 in consequence of the suppression of 

 the rights of the chace and iisheiies, at 

 the commencement of the i evolution. 



[May I. 



The abolition then was acceptable and 

 interesting, but its full power was not 

 felt; now, it is an undoubted fact, that 

 from the liberty thus enjoyed, there is 

 neither a good warren nor fishery left,s 

 all possessing an equal right to the 

 same. 



'Ihe different invasions and dis- 

 turbances have successively contri- 

 buted to destroy those primitive 

 sources of gratification ; similar inno- 

 vations, with corresponding means of 

 coercion, have thinned the forests, so 

 that the consumption has infinitely ex- 

 ceeded the reproduction. The princi- 

 ples, however, of the present political 

 system, go to check the extravagan- 

 cies of the first; the management of 

 the forests is confided to conservators, 

 inspectors, general guardians, arpen- 

 teurs, &c. and this important object is 

 duly superintended by tluir active 

 vigilance. Next to the immense forests 

 in the East and South, those of Orleans, 

 the Ardennes, Fontainebleau, St. Ger- 

 main, Marly, Villers Coteret, Couci, 

 &c, are the most remarkable. 



An energetic impulse has hecn 

 given to all the operations of mining. 

 The South was formerly pretty well 

 stored with the precious metals, and 

 France is still possessed of a number 

 of rivers there, from which golden 

 sands are collected. The country 

 about Reaumur alone affords t'en 

 streams, from which this supply might 

 be obtained. Iron is found the most 

 common, one year with another, to tlie 

 value of 16,000,000 of florins ; pit-coal 

 about 5,500,000 ; salt, 5,000,000. 

 The number of workmen employed ia 

 the mines is reckoned 950,000. 



It will require the long-conUnued 

 efforts of true patriots, invariably 

 directed to the administration of the 

 colonies, to obtain such conmiercial 

 assistance as the islands once afforded. 

 The productions of St. Domingo, iu 

 1789, were rated at70,000,000 of florins. 

 Tiie isle of Bourbon may yield about 

 70,000 quintals of coffee, and other 

 colonial commodities ; but, unfortu- 

 nately for commerce, it is wholly un- 

 provided with a fortified and formida- 

 ble port. 



The population of the mother coun- 

 try subsists, at present, in upwards of 

 1,600 cities and towns, and 38,990 

 communes. The number of buildings 

 may be set down at 5,636,000, among 

 which are 76,000mills, 56,000 churches, 

 and 22,000 other structures of a public 

 character. The inhabitants of the 

 villages 



