166 AN AGRICULTURAL FAGGOT. 



whole area under the plough is returned as bare fallow, 

 whereas the United Kingdom has not more than 2 per 

 cent. As a matter of fact, however, in the districts I 

 happen to have visited no large amount of bare fallow 

 was noticeable, but the three-course system obviously 

 holds sway among farmers of all classes. Thus on a 

 farm of about 625 acres, near Magny, which I spent an 

 afternoon in looking over, nearly the whole was arable, 

 and a three-course rotation — wheat, oats, and beetroot 

 mostly — was adopted. 



On the excellently managed estate of the Vicomte 

 Arthur de Chezelles, at Le Boulleaume, Oise, where I 

 spent a most interesting day, about 400 acres of the 

 1,500 acres, which the Vicomte himself personally farms 

 and controls, were under sugar beet at the time of our 

 visit. There is an admirably-equipped distillery on the 

 estate, where alcohol is extracted from the sugar beet. 

 The beet is grown in as close proximity as possible to the 

 distillery, and consequently a large area is farmed on a 

 two-course rotation, wheat alternated with sugar beet. 

 Vicomte de Chezelles will be remembered as an enthu- 

 siastic advocate of the system of ensilage, which he did 

 much to bring under the notice of English farmers on 

 his visit to the Reading Show of the R. A. S. E. in 1882, 

 and subsequently by permitting the publication of full 

 descriptions of his own practice. He is still convinced 

 of the advantages of the system, and, indeed, stated that 

 after twenty-seven years' experience he believed in it 

 more than ever. At the time of our visit the famous 

 silo was filled with the product of about 300 acres of 

 clover, lucerne, sainfoin, and grass. The stuff is tipped 

 into the silo and trodden down by six oxen, who go 

 backwards and forwards over it during the time of filling, 

 and when full the whole is covered with 18 inches of 

 earth. 



This estate provides an excellent example of up-to- 

 date farm management. Labour-saving equipment is 



