FRANCE. . 697 
of land of course is proportionally low. Before the Re- Statistics. 
1 die 
“ we may safely and rationally maintain, that. the Revo- 
lution, besides the direct benefits which it has bestowed 
on agriculture, by the abolition of feudal tenures, and 
partial and oppressive taxes, has indi } 
ferred on the agriculture of France, and which have 
manifested themselves, notwithstanding the military 
: a9 ae ing and ple? her 
or the purpose of enslaving the continent of > 
has at length ecnighaclowe ‘ene hewn jus veteilietica 
for her too ready acquiescence in its schemes. These, 
however, are only partial and tem evils ;- and we 
confidently predict, that when they are passed 
away, the agriculture of France, which, her ex- 
cellent climate and easily worked soil, must always be 
the staple branch of her national industry, and the prin- 
cipal source from which she must draw her political 
influence and military er, will be found to have 
5 
yine 5,000,000; in woods 19,850,000; in meadow and 
rich pasturage 4,000,000 acres; under lucerne, sain- 
foin, &c. 5,000,000 ; and the and wastes oc- 
eupy 27,150,000 ; thus making a total of 131,000,000 
acres, This estimate, however, as as respects the 
number of acres under wood, is certainly over-rated, 
— Mr Young on this point follows the authority 
of Neckar ; for a committee of the first National 
stated the whole extent of territory covered 
with wood at 13,100,691 arpents, of 100 perches of 28 
os French feet each; whereas, according to Mr 
man’ The puaeatctocpeion of he nti the xt 
‘occupation of the land in the north- 
Son poorliices of France, dante conceived, from the fol- 
account of the distribution of a small commune. 
Ww and meadows in the occupation of the propris: 
tor, 250 acres; two farms let, keeping two ploughs each, 
eight horses, 300 acres; 10 freeholders, keep- 
ing one pl each, together 20 horses, 750 acres ; 28 
freeholders, ing no horses, occupying 250 acres ; 
in all, 1550 acres, of which 1300 were arable. These 
are distributed as follows: under fallow 433, under 
wheat 433, under oats 433. Those who have no ploughs 
40 francs (33s. 4d.) per acre to their neighbours 
ed the team labour of the whole course, viz. four 
ploughings on the fallow, arid one ploughing for oats ; 
oads of dung per acre carted on the fallow, and 
ing. rietors who possess no 
ploughs are labourers, and in general work for the person 
who performs the ing of their land. The number 
of acres ploughed in this commune annually ‘is 21 65, or 
about 7} acres per day for 14 p , leaving sufficient 
time for harrowing, harvest, and ing of d 
The rentof land is low in most parts of 3 
fore the Revolution ree ety ~ roe pape 
land was averaged Mr Yo at 158. 7d.; e 
woods at 12s. ; Srxhe i uaniree £3:16:6; of the 
meadows at £2: 3:9; the wastes at 1s. 9d. At 
extremely good land in Normandy may be got 
30s. per acre ; 18s, and 20s, are more common. In 
other districts, it is even very much lower. The price 
VOL. 1X, PART IL 
away, which seems to be the case, | 
r] 
volution, the average price of all the cultivated land. in 
the kingdom, was estimated by Mr Young at £20 the 
English acre. In 1814, Mr Birkbeck mentions an estate 
near Cosne of 1000 acres arable, and 500 wood land, let 
on lease for nine years for £375 sterling, which might 
be bought for 22 years’ purchase, or £8333, It is pro- 
per to add, however, that one-third of the arable land 
of this farm’was poor cold clay, of little value; two- 
thirds pretty good wheat land; part dry enough for 
turnips. In 1807, Mr Pinckney states, that the average 
rents from Paris to Maine were about 15s. the English 
acre; and the purchase from £15 to £18. The value 
of lands in the vine districts of France, is much higher, 
amounting on an average to upwards of £60 per acre, 
according to some authors ; but others rate it only at Size of 
£41 per acre. The size of farms is’ in’ general small; arms, 
few, even in Normandy and the other provinces where 
agriculture is conducted on the best plan, and with the 
greatest capital and skill, reaching 300 acres. With re- 
spect to the capital employed by the farmers, Mr Young ©*Pi**" 
calculated it on an average of’the whole kingdom, not 
to exceed 40s. per’acre, In this, however, he was 
bably much mistaken. At any rate, at present, the 
average must be much higher. In French Flanders, 
it is calculated that a farm of about 250 English acres 
will require a capital of upwards of £1500 sterling, or 
about 26, 5s. per English acre. In this estimate, the 
live-stock is sup to cost £716:16:8; of which 
15 horses at £16: 13:4 each, 14 milch cows at £9 
each, and 180 sheep at 17s. 8d. each, form the chief ar~ 
ticles. The instruments of husbandry form the next 
division of this estimate, and amount to £138. Of 
these the large waggon is rated at upwards of £45; and 
the lighter wagyons, of which there are three at nearl 
£20; four ploughs at £2, 10s. each, besides a Du 
plough at £2: 12:6; the harrows, all of wood, at 8s. 
4d. each. The third branch of the estimate is the ser- 
vants’ wages for 15 months. The number is eight ; 
three ploughmen, one man to take care of the young 
horses, a shepherd, two women, and a swineherd ; their 
wages, one with another, being £4: 11:8 per annum 
each. The wages of the labourers are rated at from 8d. 
to 1s. per day. The maintenance of the 15 plough 
liorses and 10 young horses for 15 months, is estimated 
at about £150. It is probable that capital to the same 
amount is required in the other parts of France, where. 
iculture is well understood, and carried on with spi-- 
rit and success. In the other districts, where it is far 
behind, of course the capital will be much less. 
The prevailing opinion, that France is entirely an tnclosures. 
co’ , is very erroneous, It is certainly much 
toe inclowed than England. All Brittany, the fei 
part of Normandy, and the ‘northern part of that pro- 
vinee as far as the Seine, niost of Anjou and Maine, 
Lower Poitou, Touraine, Sologne, Berry, Limosin, the 
Bourbonnois, and a great part of Nivernois, part of Au- 
vergne, and Quercy, are inclosed. The whole district of 
the is thickly inclosed. This district of coun- 
SF rer 11,000 square leagues ; so that if the 
parts of France that are inclosed be added, they 
will raise the total to a full half of the kingdom. But 
though’so lange a portion is inclosed, the inclosures in 
coon are ill planned, and badly kept ; and their va- 
ue and utility so little understood, that the same rent 
is given for inclosed and fields, provided both are 
le. Perhaps the province of Bearn exhibits more 
attention to the proper ae of inclosures than 
T 
