22 
Tlie Prize Farms of France. 
scorched in summer and soaked with wet in winter, until drain- 
age, marl, lime, and deep ploughing, have changed their aspect. 
The rotations introduced are all characteristic of good modern 
farming. 
The history of the flock presents certain special features. 
Merinos were first substituted for the native Sologne race ; but 
when fine wool fell and meat advanced in price, a cross of 
Leicester blood was tried. Finally the Berri breed was intro- 
duced and crossed with Southdown rams. At first all the cross- 
bred sheep went to the butcher ; but experience soon showed that 
it was as easy to keep the half-bred ewe as the pure native 
race : both are, therefore, now kept, with about fifty choice 
Southdowns, which, as well as the cross-breds, have won many 
prizes. On the three farms 1900 sheep are kept, of which 900 
are folded on the land all the year round — a practice compara- 
tively rare in France. The wethers fetch 33s. at thirty months' 
old. The ewes bear three lambs and are then fatted. 
The stock of cattle consists of 16 short-horns — which have 
often received prizes at Poissy, Orleans, (Sec. — 48 others of 
Charolais or half-bred, and 40 working oxen. The choice stock 
are weighed every month, and a careful register of their progress 
is kept, which has thrown much light on their management. 
M. de Behaque is a strong advocate for the employment of 
bullocks of a hardy sort for draught, and recommends that they 
be worked only half a day. He prefers the Limousin breed. 
The list of implements includes most of our first-class English 
inventions ; much pains have been bestowed on the farm- 
buildings, which have been rebuilt with equal attention to 
economy and convenience : moreover it is reported that, " Of 
course a still more lively solicitude has been displayed in the 
sanatory arrangements of the dwellings assigned to all the persons 
employed on the estate." The clay hovels with earthen floors, 
low, damp, devoid of air or light, which characterized the Sologne, 
have disappeared. A quarry which was discovered, and tHeries 
which have been erected on the property, have contributed to 
this change, and the example is not lost on the neighbourhood. 
M. Behaque's influence has also introduced the culture of 
Jerusalem-artichokes, maize, winter tares, trifolium incarnatum, 
sorghum, yellow lupines ; and substituted the growth of wheat 
for that of rye ; the best test of such improvements being that 
the value of land is tripled in the neighbourhood. 
The supply of labourers seems to be in a deplorable Condition 
in this district. Farm-servants generally change their places 
twice a year ; various circumstances conducing to this end, such 
as the objection of masters to married servants, and the pre- 
dilection of the servants for the " Letting," or Statute Fair ; the- 
