372 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



depends upon many circumstances of a political or moral char 

 acter, and others which may be termed accidental. The terri 

 tory of France, stretching through nearly eight degrees of latitude, 

 is susceptible of a great variety of cultivation. On the eastern 

 side, it feels the cold influences of a range of mountains covered 

 with perpetual snow ; on its western side, its climate is softened 

 by the vicinity of the broad Atlantic ; its northern portions gather 

 humidity from the ocean which bounds it ; its southern portions 

 enjoy the sunny influences of an early spring and an almost 

 tropical summer, and of the vapors which rise from that most 

 beautiful of all waters, the Mediterranean, which laves its 

 shores. Its territory is traversed in various directions by several 

 magnificent rivers, the Rhine, the Rhone, the Loire, the Garonne, 

 the Seine ; and many minor tributaries, which, if they have not 

 the magnitude of many of the rivers of the western world, afford 

 nevertheless great facilities for inland navigation and transporta 

 tion ; and, at the same time, present on their banks a large extent 

 of alluvial land of the most productive quality. 



While the soil of these alluvial lands is most excellent, the soil 

 of the high grounds, as far as it has come under my observation, 

 is of an inferior quality. It is in general strongly calcareous, 

 with the lime or chalk forming almost the entire surface. In dry 

 weather, such lands suffer from the drought, and in wet weather 

 nothing can be more unpleasant to work. Large portions of land 

 likewise are found composed almost wholly of a yellow ochrey 

 sand or gravel, mixed at the same time with an aluminous sub 

 stance, and apparently highly charged with iron, which consti 

 tutes a soil very unfriendly to vegetation. Of soils purely alumi 

 nous or clayey I have met with few ; but there are many of a 

 mixed character, with a loam of considerable thickness on the 

 surface. These are capable of great improvement and produc 

 tiveness. In some parts of the country, lime and gypsum (sul 

 phate of lime) are abundant; and marl of an unctuous and 

 enriching quality is found in many places. 



