Report on the Dairy-Farming of the North-west of France. 291 
In the Isijj:ny district a similar procedure is followed, and one 
hectare (2^^ acres) is at least sufficient to keep a cow all the year 
round, the rent obtained being about 4/. I65. per acre. Within 
a mile of this town is a farm where some of the best Isigny 
butter is made. It consists of 125 acres, of which one-half is 
annually pastured, 50 acres are mown annually in rotation and the 
aftermath fed by cows, and there are 12^ acres of ploughed land 
used to grow carrots, beetroots, and a small quantity of white 
crop chiefly for the straw. There are 50 Norman cows, whose 
average annual yield per head is 2 cwt. of butter, which is sent 
to Paris, and for which the farmer (an unmarried lady) receives 
from 2s. to 2s. 3d. per English pound (5 fr. 50 c. to 6 fr. 30 c. 
per kilo.). In round numbers this represents a gross annual 
return of 22/. to 25/. per cow from butter alone, to which must 
be added the value of the calf (generally sold fat to the butcher 
at three months old), and of the skim-milk and butter-milk, with 
which a large number of pigs and calves are annually fattened. 
On this farm, the cows are never put in the houses except for 
two or three weeks before calving, and a couple of months 
afterwards. In very bad winters they may be sent into the 
houses for the night ; but as a rule there is a shed in the fields 
into which they may go for shelter. 
In contrast to these iVorman practices, I may place the system 
pursued in Eastern Brittany, near Rennes, — the district where 
the celebrated butter of la Prevalaye is made. The farm-school 
of Trois Croix, close to Rennes, is a good example of this style 
of farming. It consists of 225 acres, rented at 54*. per acre. 
The rent is high for this part of France ; but J\I. Bodin, the 
tenant, has the advantage of close proximity to the town, where 
his milk is sold, and whence he obtains the vidange from the 
garrison of between 800 and 900 men. There are no less than 
70 cows kept, as well as 10 working oxen and 10 horses. The 
cows are kept in the stalls all the year round, and are fed in 
winter upon chopped hay and straw, which are mixed with 
pulped mangolds and allowed to ferment. In the summer the 
cows are soiled on different kinds of green-food. All the young 
cattle are reared, as they are a cross between the Norman and 
the Shorthorn, and sell for half as much again as the cattle of 
the country. This is no great price, however, as near Rennes from 
12/. to 13/. is thought to be a good price for a cow. M. Bodin 
finds that the Shorthorn cross gives size and adaptability to 
fatten, while it does not decrease the yield of milk. But this 
yield is generally small in the Rennes district, as compared 
with that of the best Norman cattle, and probably does not 
average m()re than 850 gallons. 
The rotation of crops pursued <m this farm is a six-course 
(J 2 
