284 Farmers' Miscellany. [April, 



fall ; but October and November are the pleasantest months in the 

 year. In December, January, and February, a strong northeast- 

 erly wind, called the mistral, blows, sometimes with snow, but 

 generally with a clear sky. It is sometimes so violent upon the 

 mountains as to blow a man off his horse. At Avignon, the 

 olive trees are frequently chilled by it. The south of France 

 may be characterized as possessing a mild and salubrious climate. 

 Montpelier, on the shore of the Mediterranean, is celebrated for 

 the purity of its air. 



Soil. — France is generally a fertile country, but the soil varies 

 much in different provinces. The northeast is the richest part. 

 There are admirable corn districts along the Seine, Rhine and 

 Moselle. The hills of Champagne and Burgundy produce the 

 most excellent wines. The valley of the Garonne has a warmer 

 soil, but is less productive than that of the northern districts. 



Agriculture. — Two-thirds of the population of France are 

 agricultural, and a much greater proportion of the cultivators are 

 proprietors than in most other European countries. The agricul- 

 tural products of the northern part of the country are corn, pulse 

 and potatoes ; of the southern, corn, grapes, mulberries and olives. 

 Besides the common grains of Europe, wheat, rye, oats, and bar- 

 ley, maize is also extensively cultivated. The horses and cows 

 are fed chiefly on clover, lucern and sanfoin, and other artificial 

 grasses, of which no greater quantity is raised than is absolutely 

 necessary. The rotation of crops is little attended to, and fallows 

 still hold a place in French husbandry, which is therefore propof- 

 tionately less productive than the English. The French are, 

 however, the best wine makers in the world j the principal varieties 

 of the French wines are those of Champagne and Burgundy; the 

 Moselle and Rhenish wines, so called from the rivers upon whose 

 banks they are produced; the hermitage of Dauphiny; and the 

 clarets of the neighborhood of Bordeaux. 



SPAIN". 

 Face of the Country. — Spain is an elevated and beautifully 

 picturesque country. It exhibits an alternate of mountain 



