Book I. AGRICULTURE IN FRANCE. 67 



(c,/, dyi,) ; that of olives, vines, mulberries, maize, oranges, and common culture (oe). 

 It is singular that these zones (m vi, n n, and o o) do not run parallel to the degrees of 

 latitude, but obliquely to them to such an extent that the climate for vines leaves off 

 at 47 on the west coast {y m), but extends to 49^ on the east {g m). These zones, as 

 may naturally be expected, extend into Germany, in which the vjpe is cultivated as far 

 north as lat. 52^. 



S82. The central climate, that admits vines without being hot enough for maize, {y, a,h,g, i). 

 Young considers as the finest in the world, and the most eligible part of France or of 

 Europe as to soil. " Here," he says, "you are exempt from the extreme humidity 

 which gives verdure to Normandy and England ; and yet equally free from the burning 

 heats which turn verdure itself into a russet brown : no ardent rays that oppress with their 

 fervor in summer, nor pinching tedious frosts that chill with their severity in winter, 

 but a light, pure, elastic air, admirable for every constitution except consumptive ones." 

 This climate, however, has its drawbacks; and is so subject to violent storms of rain and 

 hail, that " no year ever passes without whole parishes suffering to a degree of which we 

 in Britain have no conception." It has been calculated, that in some provinces the 

 damage from hail amounts, on an average of years, to one-tenth of the whole produce. 

 Spring frosts are sometimes so severe as to kill the broom : few years pass that they do 

 not blacken the first leaves of the walnut trees ; the fig-trees are protected with straw. 



383. Of the vine and maize climates (c,f, d, ?:), some account is given by M. Picot, baron 

 de Peyrouse, an extensive and spirited cultivator. He kept an accurate account of the 

 state of the crops and seasons in his district for twenty years from 1800 ; and the result 

 is, that he has had twelve years of fair average crops ; four years most abundant ; and 

 four years attended with a total loss. 



384. In the olive climate (o, e) insects are incredibly 

 numerous and troublesome, and the locust is injurious 

 to corn crops ; but both the olive -and maize district 

 have this advantage, that two crops a year, or at least 

 three in two years, may be obtained. The orange is 

 cultivated in so small a proportion of the olive climate 

 as scarcely to deserve notice. The Caper ( Capparis 

 spi7iosa) (Jig. 49.) is also an article of field culture, and 

 the Fig. 



385. The climate of Picardy and Normandy is the 

 nearest to that of England, and is rather superior. 

 The great advantage France possesses over Britain in 

 regard to climate is, that by means of the vine and olive, 

 as valuable produce may be raised on rocky wastes as 

 on rich soils. {Young's France, ch. iii.) 



386- The lands of France are not generally enclosed 

 and subdivided by hedges or other fences. Some fences are to be seen near towns* 

 and in the northern parts of the kingdom more especially, but in general the whole 

 country is open ; the boundaries of estates being marked by slight ditches or ridges, 

 with occasional stones or heaps of earth, rows of trees, or occasional trees. Depredations 

 from passengers on the highways are prevented by gardes chnrnpetre, which are established 

 throughout all France. Farms are sometimes compact and distinct, but generally 

 scattered, and often alternating in the common field manner of England, or run-rig, of 

 Scotland. From the operation of the present law of inheritance, estates and farms 

 are continually breaking down into smaller divisions, so that the number of farms 

 may be said to encrease every year. The farm-houses of large farms are generally 

 placed on the farm ; of smaller ones in villages often at some distance from the lands. 



387. The value of landed property is in general lower than in England, being at present 

 (1823) sold from twenty-two to twenty-six years' purchase. 



388. The farming of lands in France, according to Professor Thouin, naturally di- 

 vides itself into three kinds r 1. The grand culture, in which from two to twelve ploughs 

 are employed, and corn chiefly cultivated. 2. The middle culture, including the me- 

 tayers who also grow corn, but more frequently rear live stock, maintain a dairy, or 

 produce silk, wine, cider, or oil, according to the climate in which they may be situated : 

 and 3. The minor culture, or that which is done by manual labor, and into which live 

 stock or corns do not enter. The middle culture is by far the most common. There 

 are very few farms of six or eight ploughs in France, and equally few farmers who do 

 not labor in person at all times of the year. It is acknowledged by Professor Thouin, 

 that each of these divisions is susceptible of very great improvement. 



SuBSECT. 3. Of the common Farming of France. 



389. The corn farming in France is carried on in the best manner in Picardy and 

 Alsace. The first may be considered as equally well cultivated with Suffolk ; and the 



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