252 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



circumstance due very much, no doubt, to the existence of the 

 large cities of Lyons, St. Etienne, Nismes, Montpellier and 

 Marseilles. 



The most northern province, that of Ain, lies at the foot of 

 the Jura. Here has been for some years a somewhat peculiar 

 treatment of clay lands. In some parts of this region the soil 

 is stiff, and almost impervious. Here we see a great many 

 dams constructed to hold water in the form of p(5nds. Every 

 third year the water is drawn off, the fish taken and sold, when 

 the land is cultivated for one year, and then again flooded. 

 The number of these artificial ponds is said to be no less than 

 fifty thousand, and the number of acres covered by them, fifty 

 thousand. When the news of the modern system of drainage 

 penetrates that region, such a practice will go out of date, it is 

 hoped. 



At Macon, on the way to Lyons, the traveller is struck by 

 the peculiarity of the head-dress of the women. Two or 

 three specimens take a seat opposite to us in the car, and the 

 first thought is tliat of surprise at the great black thing 

 on the very top of the head, more like a modern chimney- 

 top ventilator than awy thing else I can compare it to. 

 Are they in mourning? Are tliey altogether sane in 

 the region of the skull? After considerable delay as to 

 whether it would do to quiz them on so important a point 

 as a lady's dress, we at length muster up courage to display 

 our limited knowledge of French by asking for information 

 on this great question. They were, as was to be expected, 

 infinitely amused at our curiosity, and took considerable 

 trouble to exjjlain tiiat such was the common head-dress of 

 the women of Macon and its neighborhood. This two-story 

 arrangement of a sort of black muslin was set upon the very 

 top of the head, where it could do no earthly good by way of 

 )>rotecting the brain from the cold, and very little from the 

 heat of a southern sun. It is unique and comical. 



J3ut here we are in the city of Lyons, the city of silks, the 

 rival of Paris in commercial importance. It is a city of hills 

 on which it sits as upon a throne, with the Soane and tho 

 Rhone at its feet. Without loss of time wo engaged a carriage 

 luiil drove over the most interesting parts of the town, calling 

 ul some of the most extensive and noted silk manufactories, of 



