270 CATTLE AND DAIRY FARMING. 



Through excessive wood-clearing the plain region has become marshy, 

 unproductive, and unwholesome. 



The soil is generally sandy, with an impervious clay substratum, where 

 no vegetation is seen but heaths and broom. In marly parts some rye 

 and a much larger quantity of buckwheat is grown. 



The " Plateau Central," of granitic and volcanic formation, embraces 

 some fertile valleys,that of Limagne among others, remarkable by its 

 rich loam soil, but the vegetable earth, which is most common, has been 

 formed by the disintegration of feldspathic rocks, is light, and fit only for 

 woodland and meadows. 



Greenswards, consisting chiefly of an herb called " Mardus stricta," 

 are found on the highest summits of the table-land. Under those cir- 

 cumstances the region naturally devoted itself to the cattle-raising in- 

 dustry, and the "Plateau Central" supplies nearly all the different parts 

 of France with large quantities of much esteemed stock. 



The climate, although colder, owing to the altitude, is not excessively 

 so, and can compare favorably with many other parts of France. 



Description of Southwestern France.* The southwestern region, which 

 is inclosed between the ranges of the Cevennes and the Pyrenees at the 

 east and south, is entirely composed of plains and valleys, with the ex- 

 ception of the landeSj a wide sandy expanse, resting on a pudding-stone 

 substratum ; the region is fertile and in advanced stage of culture that 

 embraces all the agricultural productions of France except the olive 

 and orange. 



The vineyards cover nearly 2,000,000 acres, and produce the well- 

 known Bordeaux wines and a good deal of inferior brandy. The cult- 

 ure of Indian corn comes next in importance, and is especially extensive 

 in the poorer district, where the peasant uses it for food for himself and 

 his cattle, and as flour, fuel, and bedding. The natural pasture land is 

 also plentiful, and sown meadows give a good supply of luceru, and 

 particularly clover, the use of which has grown to form an important 

 branch of trade. The geological formation is entirely of the tertiary 

 order in the plains, and in the Cevennes and Pyrenees partakes oi 7 

 different formations, the granitic and Jurassic predominant. 



The climate is moderate, the mean temperature being G9 in summer 

 and 41 in winter; the rainfall averages 23 inches, distributed in 130 

 rainy days in the year. Frost is seldom seen for more than 35 days. 



Description of Southern and Southeastern France. Tliu southern and 

 southeastern regions are quite different in every respect from all the 

 other regions of France. 



The climate, produce, culture, and general aspect are entirely peculiar 

 to the region. Wood and pasture lands are scarce, the calcareous hills 

 and mountains, stripped of the last vestige of a tree, are barren and 

 grow nothing but shrubbery and aromatic herbs, on which constantly 

 browse numerous herds of starveling sheep that are led from one hill 

 to another and lay waste all those parts of the country through which 

 they travel. 



Three-fifths of the region are utterly sterile and deserted. On the 

 other hand, the two other fifths are remarkably productive and turned 

 to culture which cannot be attempted in any other portion of France. 

 The olive, orange, mulberry trees thrive admirably ; the vine is exten- 

 sively cultivated and produces immense quantities of wine, which, al- 

 though of inferior quality, brings an important revenue to the country, 

 In some part flowers grow in the open air at all times of the year, and 



* The breeds of cattle raised in Southwestern France are the Garoiinaise, the Baz&. 

 dais, the Gascon, the Bordelais, and the Pyrenees. 



