292 Report on the Dairy-Farming of the North-ioest of France. 
shift, namely (1) roots, chiefly mangolds ; (2) barley ; (3) clover ; 
(4) wheat; (5) rape-seed ; (6) wheat. In favourable seasons, the 
rape-seed would be gathered in about the middle of June, and a 
catch-crop of buck-wheat taken afterwards on part of the course. 
Again, part of the root-course is cropped with maize, which is 
drilled in May, after the land has been prepared by cultivation 
and manuring as for mangolds. On September 6th, when I 
saw it, the plants averaged from 9 to 10 feet in height, and the 
crop was being cut green as required to be given to the 
cows in the stalls. The amount of fodder per acre yielded by 
this crop of maize must have been enormous ; and as regards its 
feeding properties, although there are differences of opinion as 
to whether it has most effect upon the quantity or the quality of 
the milk, it is universally admitted to be an excellent food for 
all kinds of cattle. 
M. Bodin's land had for the most part been drained, and the 
state of cultivation of the stubbles, the growing crops of maize 
and mangolds, and the condition of the pastures, all showed what 
the land is capable of. This farm is worth seeing in the midst 
of a district whit h looks a complete picture of neglect, the stub- 
bles being rank with weeds, the pastures reedy, and the stacks 
unthatched, often built round a growing tree. The average rent 
of land is about 30^. per acre, chiefly in consequence of the 
large proportionate return from the apple-orchards, which extend 
over nearly the whole acreage of the farms. A curious contrast 
to everything else in the neighbourhood was the well-made, 
firmly consolidated, square-trimmed manure-heaps, which stood 
in front of even the meanest and dirtiest little farm-house. 
An intermediate practice is to be found in some districts, 
where lucerne is pastured during the summer by dairy-cows, 
which are tethered or folded. In the latter case, the cows are 
placed at night in a small fold near the homestead, and not un- 
frequently the hind sleeps in a movable hut placed close to the 
fold. 
As an example of this system, I may quote the farm of 
Bailleux, near Longeons, Oise, rented by M. Ancelin. It 
consists of 575 acres of rather strong land, situated 'On an 
elevated plain. The rent is about 32s. per acre, and the expense 
of cultivation comes to a similar amount. There are 25 acres 
of old grass ; and an additional 75 acres, laid down by the 
tenant within the last few years, had a very promising appear- 
ance last autumn. About 100 milch-cows are kept, between 
20 and 30 of the most unprofitable ones being fed off every year 
on the pasture-land, stall-feeding being unknown. The other 
live stock consists of a l)re<"ding (lock of 250 ewes (Merino and 
Leicester cross), the lambs being sold in the wool at from 3 to 
