F fc A N C fi. 1 9 



their lands three times for wheftt ; of which 

 they get about two quarters an acre : if 

 they manure, they have two and a half, or 

 three. After the wheat, they fow barley, 

 and get but indifferent crops; and then 

 their fallow again, as before. The peafants 

 pay about fix (hillings an acre for their 

 arable land : it is fo good in its nature, that 

 it would let, in England, if inclofed, I 

 fhould fuppofe readily, at twenty. Yet the 

 farmers here are very poor, and (hew it in 

 the appearance of every thing belonging 

 to them. I faw them fowing wheat in 

 fcveral trads t they have a practice of fteep- 

 ing the feed in a ley made of poultry dung j 

 they plough the land, and then harrow in 

 the feed with harrows $ the teeth of which 

 are made of wood, to fave iron $ and, pro- 

 jefting from the frame on both fides> they 

 can turn the harrow, and wear up both. 



From Berlife, I took the road to Merchin* 

 gen, through an almoft continued corn field j 

 the foil rich> and the roads very deep and 

 bad : the peafants were fowing wheat $ and, 

 from the ftubbles of the laft year, I fhould 

 fuppofe the crop of wheat had been good ; 

 C a but 



