FRANCE. 85 



aflured me, that the wine from the true 

 foil was much fuperior, if no dung at all 

 was ufed, as was often experienced by gentle- 

 men who fave fome that is excellent for 

 prefents, and their own ufej but, in general, 

 the practice will not anfwer at all, as the 

 wine-merchant, though he prefers the 

 wine, will never give a price proportioned 

 to the lofs fuftained by the planter. I ob- 

 jeded, that this general fpirit of dunging 

 vineyards muft rob all the common huf- 

 bandry in the country - 9 that, replied he, is 

 of no confequence, for corn will not pay 

 for dung, where there are vineyards to de- 

 mand it. Upon my doubting this, he 

 feemed to lay it down as a maxim that 

 could not be controverted. Certain it is, 

 there is no corn land in this country that 

 is ever dunged, unlefs it lies at too great a 

 diftance from vineyards to pay for carriage. 

 But they are very bad farmers ; and, I fup- 

 pofe, owing to the great attention given to 

 vineyards. But the great fupport of all here 

 is the fainfoine. My friend the vigneron 

 faid that was an excellent thing; for it 

 would fupport many cows, in order to raife 

 dung for vines. A great part of the lands 

 G 3 at 



