Rural Economy of France since 1789. 
531. 
Thus it would appear that the extent of waste lands has 
diminished by 5,000,000 acres, that of woods and forests by 
2,500,000 acres, whilst the gardens and orchards have increased 
by 1,250,000 acres, the surface under tillage by 2,500,000 acres, 
the meadows by 2,500,000 acres, and the vineyards by 1,500,000 
acres. 
This, after all, as M. de Lavergne observes, is but a slow 
progress for so long a period. At this pace France would 
require two centuries to reclaim all her waste lands. 
The progress accomplished in the actual cultivation of the 
soil, and the distribution and rotation of crops, is far more 
important, as may l)e seen from the following table : — • 
1789. 
1859. 
12,500,000 acres. 
Wheat 
10,000,000 „ 
15,000,000 „ 
Rye and other grains . . 
.. 17,500,000 „ 
15,000,000 „ 
6,250,0(0 „ 
7,500,000 „ 
2,500,000 „ 
7,500,000 „ 
250,000 „ 
5,000,000 „ 
1,000,000 „ 
2,500,000 „ 
62,500,000 „ 
65,000,000 ,; 
A glance on those figures will show that the old system of 
bare fallow has receded by one-half, and the cultivation of roots 
has increased by 4,750,000 acres. Altogether the extent of land 
cultivated for fodder has increased by nearly 10,000,000 acres. 
This is a most encouraging feature, because it betokens a greater 
production of farm-manure and meat, the importance of which 
to agriculture is easily understood. 
Together with a better rotation of crops, the yield has also 
increased. Formerly the average production of wheat did not 
exceed 9 bushels per acre, exclusive of the seed ; now it reaches 
nearly 14. 
All industrial crops have also greatly improved, both in yield 
and quality. Silk and rape have increased five-fold, wine has 
doubled, whilst the manufacture of sugar and that of spirits from 
beet-root are new creations. 
From the foregoing causes, the value of the annual produce 
of the land in France may now be computed at 200 millions 
sterling — about twice as much as in l789, and about 80 millions 
more than in 1815. 
Knowing the gross produce, it is interesting to ascertain what 
can be now the net profit derived from the cultivation of the 
soil, and compare it with what it was in 1789. 
Lavoisier says that in 1789 the net revenue of the landowners 
of France was about 24 millions sterling, which would not give 
quite an average of 45. an acre for annual rent paid by the tenant. 
