536 
Rural Economy of France since 1789. 
In 1857 the extent of public highways regularly kept in 
repair amounted to 100,207 miles, canals and navigable rivers 
8457 miles, railways 5516 miles, divided as follows: — 
Canals and 
Koods. 
Xavigable 
Eailways. 
Rivers. 
Miles. 
Miles. 
Miles. 
1. 
N.W. district . . . . 
25,000 
2106 
1572 
2. 
N.E. ,, .... 
16,990 
1685 
1281 
3. 
W. ,, .. .. 
18,988 
1645 
677 
4. 
S.E. ,, .... 
12,471 
14G8 
914 
5. 
S.W. ,, .... 
14,179 
1435 
622 
6. 
Central , 
12,579 
118 
450 
100,207 
8457 
5516 
This Table shows very forcibly that the most prosperous dis- 
tricts are those which are the better provided with means of 
communication. 
The first division, the North-Western, is not only remarkable 
for its industrial prosperity, comprising as it does the most 
important manufacturing districts, but for the unrivalled excel- 
lence of its agriculture. Although it represents only the sixth 
part of the territory, it contains more than the fourth part of the 
population, and contributes nearly half the taxes of the nation, 
without reckoning the heavv municipal dues of the department 
of the Seine. If any proof were wanted that the riches of 
nations directly spring up from agiicultural prosperity, the 
statistics of the North-Western districts of France would amply 
suffice to establish the point. 
If we begin with the northern extremity, we here find Flemish 
agriculture quite at home in these comparatively recent conquests 
of Louis XIV. Flanders was the cradle of European agri- 
culture. " In these rich plains originated (to quote M. Lavergne) 
that alternation of crops which has since been adopted in 
England and then in France, and is destined to make the circuit 
of the globe." 
" The origin of this discovery — most precious to mankind, inas- 
much as this alone can enable us on a given space to feed an 
indefinite population — is lost in the obscurity of the middle 
ages. Virgil, it is true, alludes to this practice, '■ alternis 
requiescunt feiibus arva ; but the Romans do not appear to have 
carried it out on a large scale. Its real development is due to 
the requirements of great towns, such as Ghent and Bruges, 
when at war with kings and princes. The ancient as well as 
modern Flemings owed much of their vigour to a generous diet ; 
meat and beer made them what they were, and their chiefs 
often belonged to the guild of butchers or bakers," 
