86 



HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. 



Part I. 



out, and found to resist the sea-breeze. It is said extensive plantations have been made nt tins 



the coast of Prance, at Bourdeaux, and that it produces excellent timber; but whether it u 



species, or a variety possessing any particular qualities, or merely the common wild or Scotch 



i favourable situation, dees not appear. Most probably the last circumstance is the case, 'the 



534. The cutting* take place pcriadlcallg with reaped to small trees and ore-wood, so as to secure an 

 annual produce ; but reserves are always Kit to beri.nn-, eventually, large and valuable timber. 



The cutting of the tailtf* or coppice, chiefly used as fire- wood, takes place every eleventh year; 

 that ofthe high and grosser coppice, every twenty-fifth year ■, the felling of the half-grown forest trees, 



i . . irj sixtieth year; and that of the full-grown finest trees, once in a hundred years. 



. /;/ tlie management ufcop/nces, it is considered essential to preserve the roots from 

 stagnant water; the trenches originally formed for that purpose are from time to time 

 cleared out ; and the sediment and manure from the felling leaves, which have accumulated 



in them, are carefully spread upon the ridge, or rounded set, which the wood occupies. A 



second branch of regular attention is to remove all brambles and briars; a third, to 

 replace the old and fading stocks by new plantations; a fourth, to thin the stems with 

 regularity and care. 



537. The tort* of treei are birch, oak, service, ash, maple, elm, beech, poplar, aspen, wild pine, "Wey- 

 mouth pine, plane, lime, larch, Spanish chestnut, and alder. A variety of pine, called the /'inus mari- 

 tima, but not the plant of that name which is known on the coast of Italy and Greece, has been tried on 

 the sea-coast, and found to resist the sea-breeze. It is said extensive plantations have been made 



in i tb 



a distinct 

 pine, ill a „ 



pine is liable to the attacks of the Bostrichus puuperdus (J'K- 6S-)i 

 on the WOOd of the Old branches, and ofthe larva of a species of moth 

 i. n the leading young shoots. The moth deposits its eggs among the 

 buds at their extremities : the turpentine or resin which oozes from 

 the buds, protects the eggs till the insect is brought out by the 

 warmth Of the atmosphere, when vegetation commences; it then 

 inserts itself into one of the young shoots, about live or six inches below the 

 end [fig ol." . and works upwards till it finds its way out at the extremity (f>), 

 which at this time begins to shoot, and lodging itself in the centre of it, perforates 

 the young shoot up and down, till it either breaks off, or withers. 



53S. The domestic circumstances of the Flemish farmer and his 

 servants are depicted by Radcliff in a favourable point of view. 

 " Nothing," he savs, " tends more to the uniform advancement of good ' 

 farming, than a certain degree of ease and comfort in those who occupy 

 the soii, and in the labouring classes whom they employ. Without it, 

 an irregular, speculative, and anticipatory extraction of produce, always 

 followed by eventual loss, is resorted to, in order to meet the emergen- 

 cies and difficulties of the moment; whereas, under different circum- 

 stances, the successive returns of a well regulated course become tlie 

 fanner's object, rather than the forced profit of a single year ; and whilst 

 he himself is thus intrinsically served, his landlord is secured, and 

 his ground ameliorated. 



.539. The laborious industry of the Flemish farmer is recruited by intervals of decent 

 and comfortable refreshment ; and the farm -servants are treated with kindness and 

 respect. They uniformly dine with the farmer and his family, at a clean tablecloth, well 

 supplied with' spoons, with four-pronged forks, and every thing necessary for their 

 convenience. In Flanders, the gentlemen are all farmers ; but the farmers do not aspire 

 to be gentlemen, and their servants feel the benefit. They partake with them of a plen- 

 tiful and orderly meal, which varies according to circumstances. One standing dish, 

 however, is universal, a soup, composed of buttermilk, boiled and thickened with flour or 

 rye-bread. Potatoes, salt pork, salt fish, various vegetables, and eggs are common ; fresh 

 meat and fresh fish occur occasionally, though not for daily consumption : add to these, 

 a plentiful supply of butter, or rendered lard, which is sometimes substituted ; and when 

 it is recollected that these articles of provision arc always made palatable by very tolerable 

 cookery, it will be allowed that the fanner's table is comfortably supplied. The potatoes 

 are always peeled, and are generally stewed in milk ; a particular kind of kidneybean, 

 as mentioned before, the fere haricot, sliced and stewed in milk also, is a frequent dish. 

 No fanner is without a well cultivated garden, full of the best vegetables, which all 

 appear at his own table; and apples are also introduced into their cookery. The great 

 fruit and vegetable markets of the towns are supplied by gardeners who make it their 

 means of subsistence ; but the gardens ofthe farmers, unless in case of redundance, are 

 cultivated wholly for their own consumption." 



640. The farmjervants partake of their master's fare, except in his refreshments of tea, coffee, and 



541 The dag-labourers arc not so well provided : they have, however, rye-bread, potatoes, buttermilk, 

 and occasionally some sail pork. The labourer is, in general, very well able to support himselt by Ins 

 work- in a country where so much manual labour is required in weeding, the labourers tamily is 

 occupied pretty constantly in summer ; ami ill winter they spin. Each day-labourer has, in most cases, a 

 small quantity Of land, from a rood to half an acre, for his own cultivation. ,...,., , 



-,» ! Beesari in common times are scarcely to be seen, except in the towns, and but few there. In 

 the country habits of industry are kept up till health fails ; and to meet the infirmities of age, the poor 

 po,m-s ., revenue from pious donations, regulated by the government, and vested by tiiemm commissions, 

 ,,i which the mayors of the different communes ave presidents, respectively, in right of their office. 



54:3 The clothing of the peasantry is warm and comfortable, good .-hoes, stockings, and frequently 



r ni.-, . <.l I. ithcr or strong linen, which air sold very cheap ; their innate frugality leads them however, 

 to economise in those articles, substituting on many occasions coarse flannel socks and wooden sabots, 

 both ol which are supplied in all the public markets at about I ightpence cost, Ihcir comfortable supply 



