FARMERS' REGISTER. 



605 



provinces, which, though ctillivaled, are no more 

 produclive than wastes, and tniich of them not ol 

 equal profit, we cannot reclion lor the whole lee? 

 than 40,000,000 of acres that are in a waste state: 

 not absolutely unproductive, but wliicii would 

 admit of beint; rendered lour, live, six, apd even 

 ten limes more so than they are at present. This 

 extent is nearly equal to that of the kingdom of 

 England ; whence we may judge of the immense 

 resources to be found in ihe improvement of the 

 airriculture of France; and ilie wi.-^dom of the 

 measures of the National Assembly ought to t)e 

 estimated in proportion to their exertions in this 

 respect, rather than in any other, li" ihey give 

 a ready, immediate, and absolute right o( inclosure; 

 an exemption from all taxation whatever, lor 

 iwenly-one years ; and, by a wise system of im- 

 posts, the liJlure prospect of not being too much 

 burihened; if such be their encouragemenis, in 

 addition lo the great ones already elfecied, particu- 

 larly in the abolition of tithes, ihey may expect 

 to see, in a few years, great undertakings on these 

 desolate tracts. Rut the policy of a good govern- 

 ment will not, in this point, do the whole ; it may 

 encourage buildings, inclosures, manurin<i, and 

 the investment o( large capitals ; but il these soils 

 be attempted to be cultivated, as they have hitherto 

 always been in France, lailure, bankrupicy, and 

 ruin, will be the consequence ; and the lands, after 

 a i'ew years, left in a worse state than they are in 

 at present. The government should therelore, not 

 omit taking the necessary steps, to have instruc- 

 tions well diliused lor the cultivation of these im- 

 mense tracts of country ; not in the spirit of the 

 old* system, by printing memoirs, which, if ibl- 

 lowed, probably would spread more mischiefthan 

 benefit, but by the exhibition of a ilirm in each 

 considerable district, under a right manageitient, 

 and in that degree of perfiiction of culture which is 

 applirable to the practice of all mankind; of the 

 poor farmers as well as of rich ones : every other 



•The edict, exempting new improvements from 

 taxation, was in the right spirit. We are informed by 

 Mons. Necker, that from 1766 to 1784, no less than 

 950,000 arpents were declared defriches. De VAdiain- 

 ist. des Fin. 8vo. T. iii. p. 233. There can be no doubt 

 but the greater part of these are long since abandoned 

 again to nature. I never met with a single person in 

 France who had half an idea of improving wastelands ; 

 and I may add, that, of all other pratices m the agricul- 

 ture of England, this is the least understood, bee ray 

 observations on ihe present state of the waste lands. 8 vo. 

 In regard to the excellentedictabove-mentioncd, there 

 occurs a proof of the gross and consummate ignorance 

 which one meets so often in France on all agiicidtural 

 subjects. In the Cahier du Tiers Eiat de I'mi/es, p. 

 38, they demand the abrogation of thi-i edict, as preju- 

 dicial to the nomishment and multiplication of cattle. 

 Even the nobility of Cambray, Cahier, p. \d, aie 

 against cultivating commons. Tiie nobility of Ponl- 

 a-Moussin, Cahier, \). SS, declare, that the encourage- 

 ment of inclosures and dffrichemens, is prejudicial lo 

 ag;riculture ; shame on their folly ! The clergy are 

 wiser ; for they dem'\nd that the possessors of v.astcs 

 shall either cultivate them themselves, or let others 

 that are willing, on reasonable terms. Cahier de Me- 

 lun and Morel, p. 22 ; and that all commons shall be 

 alienable for the prosperity of agriculture. Baijonne, 

 Art. 51. And some of the Hers Elat also; all com- 

 mons to be divided. Cotentia MS. Ai;d new dffriche- 

 ■inens to be exempted from all taxes for twentv years. 

 Nimei, p. 19. La Rochelle, Art. 17, MS. 



species of perfection does well enough for gentle- 

 men lo commend, but is not adapted for larmers 

 lo imitate. One large farm, taken entirely from 

 waste, in Bretagne, another in Anjou, a third in 

 Sologne, a Icurih in Bonrhoiinois, and a fifth in 

 Guienne, would be siiira'ient. IC these farms 

 were cultivated on right practical principles, on 

 ihose of utterly disregarding corn till ihe ample 

 support of sheep and cattle (but particularly the 

 Ibrmer) in winter, by means of green crops, and in 

 sunmier by grasses, gave such a command and 

 liicilily of action ihal whatever corn was then 

 sown, would, in its produce, be worthy of the soil 

 and climate of France, yielding len lor one on 

 these wastes, instead of five or six lor one, the 

 present average of cultivated lands, in that king- 

 dom. If this were done, I say, the profit of such 

 improvement would be equally great and durable ; 

 the practice exhibited would take deep root in the 

 respective provinces; and extensive and speedy 

 improvements would be the consequence. By 

 such a policy, the National Assembly would prove 

 themselves genuine patriots ; the kingdom would 

 ! flourish ; population, which, at present, is a bur- 

 I then, would be rendered uselijl, because happy; 

 j and ihe consumption and circulation of these 

 I provinces increasing, would give a spur to those 

 I of the whole society ; the weight of taxes would 

 I lessen, as the basis enlarged that supported it : — 

 i in a word, every good efiect would flow from such 

 j underlakings, if properly executed, that can add 

 ] to the mass of national prosperity; and conse- 

 quentlj'the most worthy of the attention of an 

 enlightened legislature*. 



Attempts have been made to improve these 

 wastes, but always with ill success ; I saw a ne- 

 glected farm gone back nearly lo iis pristine sta'e, 

 not lar from Nantes; the Marquis of Turbilly's, 

 in Ar'jou, had no better success ; and equal failuit s 

 attended those that were tried on the heaths of 

 Bourdeaux ; and I heard of some others, similar 

 undertakings, in dilierent parts of the kingdom ; 

 but, in general, ihey were all equally unsuccessliji; 

 and no wonder, tor all were conducted on the same 

 plan, with no other object in view than com ; but 

 this is the least important of the product.?, as it 

 hath been above observed, ihat should be found on 

 new improvements. A Frencii wriierf, who speaks 

 from experience, as well as the Marquis of Tur- 

 billy, prescribes this course ; — 1, dig, at the ex- 

 pense of 20 liv. per arpent, of 46,000 leet, in 



* At present (August 1793; we know what the 

 blood-hound government oi France hive done fora^'ri- 

 culture : completely ruined all that was good in it. 



t Experiences and observations sur les Dtfrichemens. 

 Par Mons. le Dosseur. Lamballc. 1775. 4to. P. 26, 

 2S, 33. This gentleman tells us, that paiingand burn- 

 ing should be practised only on a calcareous soil, for 

 in Bretagne the peasants get up two or three crops of 

 corn by it; and if more, much dung is requisite. 

 But if they can have two crops of corn, cannot they 

 have one crop of tr.rnips? Cannot they have grass, 

 which seem.s never to be in his contemplation, though 

 almost the only thing that ought to be in view. De 

 Serres knew better; he recommends paring and burn- 

 ing, describes the operation, and answers the objection 

 of those who urged a short continuance of the profit, 

 by showing, that such ca.«es proceed from improper 

 management, and do not occur, if the Jaws of good 

 tillage be puisu^d. an cultirer et au reposer. Le 

 Theatre D'Agricidture, par D'Olivier de Serres. 4tQ 

 1629, p. 64 to 70. 



