304 
French Experimental Farm at Vavjours. 
from losses caused by the severe whiter-cartlnjj connected with 
the unhappy new tunnel. 
The next item on the debit side is " Vermin," — that is to say, 
rabbits. 
In justification of this charfje a letter is inserted, written by a 
distinguislied T'rench agriculturist — M. Menard de Happemeau 
— who has carried off the first prize for successful management 
in his department (Loir-et-Cher). 
" By speaking to me of rabbits you open an old wound ; I pity you with all 
my heart, if you have to do with this accursed race. You are indeed in the 
Forest of Bondy if you are at daggers drawn with sportsmen. These gentlemen 
think nothing worthy of consideration but game. Back your brains to cover 
the sandy wastes of the Sologne with rich harvests ; introduce — as you have 
done — a complete system which will multiiily our supply of meat tenfold ; 
sweat blood and water to cheapen the necessaries of life : this is all ' bosh,' in 
■comparison with our noble ' sport,' and yet we are in the nineteenth century ! 
"You are in a position to make yourself heard : demand then the repeal of 
the law of 1844, which leaves the farmer at the mercy of game and sportsmen 
— it is yo\u' only chance. For my part, the game has in four j'ears damaged 
my crops to the amount of 2400?. I took legal proceedings against the pro- 
prietor, and succeeded before the magistrates, on an appeal, and in the superior 
court. For one j-ear's damages I received nearly 400?. — half my loss ; but 
I find going to law a bad occupation for a farmer, who meanwhile neglects his 
business, and have come to the heroic determination to enclose 250 acres with 
close paling, and lay the rest of my farm under grass, which is least injured 
by game. 
"Now, it is full occupation for one man, from October to May, to guard 
daily my five miles of fence, and sto}) the gaps which the rabbits make, either by 
burrowing or gnawing the fence. You see then that I have not got the rabbits 
down, as you supjiosed, but have been satisfied with fortifying myself against 
these invaders at an enormous cost ; but I feel daily more and more satisfaction 
Sit having adopted this defence." 
M. Moll remarks that, being unable to adopt M. Menard's 
safeguard, and having assured himself that no crop, except hemp, 
is safe from rabbits, nothing remains for laim but to appeal to 
superior authorities for the right of defending his crops by night 
m by day against these invaders — a right which the law of 1844 
has extinguished. 
The profit of the poultry -yard seems to indicate that foxes do 
not prevail among the ^^animaux nuisihles." It is a small item, 
<ind the profit is proljably limited by the amount of tail-corn 
produced. 
The gain on corn and straw in store in reality is due to a rise 
in price ; but ihe latter is suggestive of a probable source of 
profit to be derived from the Paris market, when a threshing- 
machine is procured that does not bruise the straw. 
The really promising feature is the dairy. The profit here 
realised is not large, l)ecause the dairy had been but lately 
organised, and that on the most economical plan. The common 
