French Agricultural Inquiry. 



319 



portion (Part III.) of the inquiry extended to " rural economy," 

 and comprised, besides a census of the agricultural population, 

 investigation into the size and ownership of holdings and 

 their capital and letting value, and into the wages of different 

 classes of labourers, statistics of implements and machinery, 

 manures, and improvements effected during the last ten years. 



It should, perhaps, be remarked that the collection of 

 these particulars does not appear to have been strictly 

 synchronous. The instructions provided that all the details 

 concerning crops were to be taken at the nearest possible 

 moment to harvest; their value was to be determined 

 according to the current quotations at the nearest market 

 town. The census of animals was to be taken on November 

 30th ; while the selection of the most convenient date for the 

 returns under the heading of " rural economy " was left to 

 the discretion of the commissions. 



In commenting upon the following statistics, and in 

 making comparisons between the figures for 1892, 1882, and 

 1862 (no inquiry having been made in 1872 owing to the 

 recent war), it must be borne in mind that the explanatory 

 Report on the latest Inquiry has not yet been publi'^hed, and, 

 consequently, that no account can be given of any circum- 

 stances accounting for the changes which have occurred. 

 Comparisons are further rendered difficult as large variations 

 in agricultural statistics often occur from year to year, and 

 considerable differences may therefore be devoid of sig- 

 nificance. Nor must it be overlooked that the figures for 1862 

 include those portions of Alsace-Lorraine which now no 

 longer form part of French territory, and allowance must be 

 made for a certain amount of decrease from this cause. 

 Although, therefore, the figures for 1862 are quoted where 

 possible, but little comment will be made upon rhem. 



Considering, first, the areas devoted to cereal crops, we 

 find that the total acreage under these is somewhat below 

 that of 1882 — in fact, the only crop to show an increase is 

 oats. The area under wheat, which has exhibited great 

 steadiness for many years in France, shows a very small 

 decline, but it may be mentioned that the annual French 

 agricultural returns indicate that the area in 1892 was pro- 



