THE CKOPS. 65 



duced in their several localities. The value of the flax 

 crop in Ireland is 15 per acre, but its extent is only 

 100,000 acres/" The hop yields a still higher return, 

 but it covers only about 50,000 acres. 



Gardens and orchards occupy a relatively much less 

 space in England than in France, and their produce is 

 much inferior in value to ours. The English are not 

 great consumers of fruit and vegetables, and they are 

 right ; for both the one and the other, with them, are very 

 tasteless. All their eating as well as production is con- 

 fined to a few articles obtained in great abundance. 



As in the case of animal products, France can show a 

 certain number of crops almost unknown among our 

 neighbours, and these extra productions with us have to 

 be added to those w r e both have in common. Such, for 

 instance, is the vine, a source of wealth belonging espe- 

 cially to our soil, covering not less than five millions of 

 acres, and producing at least 4 the acre ; then again, 

 rape, tobacco, sugar-beet, madder, the olive, and mul- 

 berry ; and, finally, two and a half millions of acres of 

 gardens and orchards, from which fruit, vegetables, and 

 flowers are obtained in great abundance. The sum of 

 these productions amounts in annual value to at least a 

 milliard (40,000,000). 



These are unquestionable sources of wealth, which 

 partially redeem our inferiority, and may do so to a still 

 greater extent, for there is no limit to their production. 



* The flax crop in Ireland has of late years attained to about 140,000 acres ; in 

 1853 it took a rapid rise to 175,000. T. 



Thirteenth Annual Meeting of the Royal Flax Society of Ireland. 



1848, 53,863 acres under cultivation, value 15 per acre. 



1849, 60,314 ., 



1850, 91,040 



1851, 138,619 



1852, 136,009 



1853, 175,495 



E 



