FRANCE. 5 



yet not unfertile ; the ftones rather aflift 

 than prevent vegetation, which I ftill think 

 very furprifing. Where-ever it is cultiva- 

 ted, the fields are open. I ^explained the 

 advantages, as well as I could, of the Eng- 

 lifh fyftem of inclofing ; but my friend the 

 Lorainer did not agree with me. " If," 

 faid he, " our fields were all, as you fay, 

 " inclofed, they would many of them be fo ' 

 " wet, that our tillage would be interrupted. 

 *' At prefent the fun and wind have a 

 " free courfe over all our lands, and con- 

 *' fequently dry them very foon. I have," 

 added he, " three lands under the foreft ; 

 *' they are the worft upon my farm, becaufe 

 " the wetteft : this is owing totally to the 

 " neighbourhood of wood ; but if all my 

 " fields were interfeded, as you fay, with 

 " hedges, my whole farm would be as bad, 

 " and I mould be ruined.'* I then explained 

 counter advantages, and the ufe of drain- 

 ing; but made no imprefllon : he perfifted 

 that open fields were much more advanta- 

 geous to him than inclofures would be; 

 and infifted, that no arrangement of his 

 lands would yield him better than his old 

 one, of i. Fallow. 2. Wheat. 3. Barley. 

 B 3 Their 



