454 MONTHLY JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE. 



The consumption, then, of eggs, in all France, may be safely put down at nine 

 billion, three hundred million. If we add to this total that of the eggs exported, 

 and one-hundredth in addition of these two numbers for the eggs reserved for re- 

 production, one will find France has produced nine billion and a half ; and, valu- 

 ing each egg at the rate of the tenth of a cent, Ave liave the enormous sum of 

 465,000,000 of francs, or near $100,000,000. Though this estimate may overrun 

 the production in some of the Departments, it is nevertheless certain that the 

 value which represents the annual production of eggs is to be counted by millions 

 of francs, and to most people must be a matter of surprise. 



Speculating as to the cause of this wonderful productiveness of poultry in 

 France, over any other country, one is led to attribute it to the same reason which 

 has so much diminished her produce in animals and animal food — namely, the 

 division of estates, carried to an extreme highly prejudicial to general Agricul- 

 ture. The land laws of that country compel an equal division of estates among 

 the children or relatives in a certain degree, without power in a proprietor to sell 

 more than one share. Under the operation of these laws, it appears that in 1830 

 the 120,000,000 of productive acres in France had been divided into 123,000,000 

 lots or parcelles. It is farther shown by official returns that there are 5,163,000 

 proprietors, whose average holdings are under five acres. These establishments 

 are altogether too small to allow of the proprietors' keeping horses, and cattle, 

 and hogs, and sheep ; and hence the great number of poultry and of eggs ! 



FATTENING POULTRY. 



The same French periodical — Journal of Practical Agriculture and Gar- 

 dening — gives the following account, on the experience of those engaged in the 

 poultry business, as the means pursued where fowls are found most remarkable 

 for the delicacy of their flesh. The whole secret, say these people, consists in 

 giving oats at discretion to chickens, turkies and geese, and keeping them in 

 darkness. The rationale of the process is said to consist in this : No substance 

 will fatten fowls like oats — perhaps they have had no trial of Indian corn, which 

 frequently interposes to influence our estimate of European calculations as to the 

 aliments best adapted to feeding and fattening. Be that as it may, we proceed with 

 the rest of the statement, which is as applicable to corn as to oats. It is affirmed 

 that potatoes produce scarcely any fat. If, say they, we keep an animal in the dark 

 and in a narrow space — that is, the less exercise is allowed to a fowl — the more 

 it will take on fat. We observe the same thing with the negro's hog : Con- 

 lined in a small pen, where he has scarcely room to turn round, how fast he out- 

 "■rows his master's of the same litter. True, he may be often fed in the dark, 

 as well as in the day time. Thus shut up in a dark place, says the Frenchman, 

 the fowl concludes it one eternal night, and so keeps always sleeping ; what- 

 ever most paralyzes its movements promotes fatness ; it wakes only to eat, which 

 it does in the night as well as day. If it sees the light it becomes agitated ; but, 

 the light excluded, it remains quiet and without motion. 



Doubtless this practice of taking measures to insure darkness, and immobility, 

 and perfect exemption from all agitation, might be well applied in the fattening 

 of all animals, with great economy both of time and provisions. 



(93-1, 



