French Exj)erinieiital Farm at Vaiijours. 
303 
and intorest on the apparatus lor irrigation alono is 200/. It 
appears elsewhere that the horses are charged 2>j^ centimes ])er 
hour, or 2s. 2(1. for a day of 7i hours. 
We shall hardly follow the manager through his explanation 
of all the items in this account, but will glance at those which 
have the more prominent interest. 
Of the grain crops, it may be observed that before the rise of 
prices they had been valued at a low rate to the granary account, 
which is a gainer thereby. The proportion borne by tlie grain 
to the straw was unusually small, for 29 acres of wheat gave 
20,167 sheaves, and only 729 bushels of corn — 25 bushels per 
acre — or li\ litres (•28 of a gallon) to a sheave, instead of the 
usual proportion of from 2^ to 3 litres ("55 to "66 of a gallon). 
On a piece of 3 acres the result of the beet crop is striking. 
The produce was 35 tons, and still the account shows a loss of 
more than 21. per acre. The selling price (lis. 3d. per ton) 
when they were lifted being thought unsatisfactory, they were 
valued at that price to the stock, but from subsequent mis- 
management were spoilt by frost and rain.* The price of labour 
also told against this crop. Moreover, they were grown with 
farmvard manure, which was valued at 8 fr. (6s. 5d.) per ton, 
and the beet was charged with half that amount, 
Tlie loss on the sheep is surprising. It was in great measure 
caused by disease and death, the soil being so ill-suited to a 
breeding flock that it has been abandoned. Moreover, the 
valuation of the flock, though in improved condition, had been 
lowered; they were set at 18s. per head, instead of 22s. Gd. 
They were fed on refuse unsaleable stover (probably rye-grass), 
charged at a high market-price. Half-bred merinos, it is stated, 
cannot pay on such fare. 
The loss on the meadows is not explained in this account. 
In the two previous years "green crops" had shown a profit of 
104/., as was to be expected : for hay, if good, makes a good 
price at Paris ; and if tough or damaged sells fairly for " pack- 
ing." When the dairy is well organised, this account will pro- 
bably bear a better aspect. 
For the loss on pigs England is in a way responsible ; the 
breed kept, " the New Leicester," is beautiful, but they do not 
breed. 
" Manure " and " Horses " require a word of explanation. 
The first, taken in the previous year's valuation, had shrunk in 
bulk, and so was short measure. The horse account suffered 
* This account probably belongs to a year subsequent to that in -which the 
exceptional sheep-manure was accumulated. 
