FRANCE. 217 



folding them; which hufbandry is as well 

 known in moft parts of France as in Eng- 

 land. In all parts of the province which 

 they think proper for them, mulberry trees 

 are planted for the leaves, and vineyards 

 are common in moft "parts of it; but, as 

 they manage, thefe two objects are not kept 

 diftindt enough, but do mifchief to each 

 other. The cultivation of potatoes has 

 been increafed furprifingly within thefe ten 

 years : very many of the people live upon 

 them, and they give them to their cattle 

 with great fuccefs. The fandy foils, or 

 lightifh loams, are what the people prefer 

 for this root. This province, lying in one 

 route from Paris to Lyons, alfo from 

 Orleans, &c. to Lyons, and with great 

 communications with Lyons, many of the 

 farmers addift themfelves extremely to 

 carting on the roads for hire, to which the 

 Marquis attributed, in a great meafure, the 

 bad ftate of agriculture feen in moft of the 

 parifhes near the great roads. Upon this 

 point he obferved, that the peafants, who 

 got into this mode of fubfifting them lei ves, 

 neglect their farms, and do not give them 

 the neceilary ploughings in due feafon, if 



any 



