The Prize Farms of France. 
33 
concert with other proprietors) of the waters of the Dourdon, 
which are charged with good warp. The canal is o\ miles in 
length ; after traversing two communes, it reaches this estate, 
where irrigation has substituted 5 crops of grass for 2 crops, and 
has doubled the bulk of each cutting, besides producing similar 
effects on the corn-crops. 
Oak and ash have here been planted as a shade for the flock. 
The qarance is successfullv grown for dye ; but this cropping is 
not taken up by the neighbourhood. 
The stock of drauqld animals once consisted of 2 cows I it 
now includes 8 oxen, 2 horses. The other live-stock were for- 
merly 80 ewes, 10 pigs; there are now 270 sheep, 4 goats, 2 
cows, and 50 piffs. In 1S52 the corn grown was 220 bushels; 
in 1^;G0, 711 bushels. In 1>52, 6 cwt. of cheese was made ; in 
1860, 127 cwt. The profits of the flock were, in 1850, 32/. ; in 
1860, o4-l/. 
These two last items must probably be read together, for the 
cheese is probablv sheep's-milk cheese (Rochefortj. In the 
selection of the flock special reference is made in these parts to 
the milking properties of the ewes. The limestone grottoes in 
the neighbourhood are much prized, 1 am inlbrmed, as natural 
cheese-rooms. 
The net income was, in 1852, 48/. ; in 1860, 308/., besides 
a stock of manure worth from 80/. to 100/. These results have 
been obtained by an outlay of only 240/. The object was, 
not dazzling, but steadv improveinent ; it, therefore, finds many 
imitators. 
A sold medal was awarded to M. Barascud for tumins- the 
waters of the Dourdon ; to his Half-holder, M. Ygrier, for the 
perfection of his tillage, wrought to the depth of 23 inches by 
the Bonnet plough, which he brought with him from his little 
property, of 7^ acres, near Avignon. 
The prize farm, that of M. de !Monseignat du Clusel, still 
remains to be considered, which seems to have been preferred for 
its completeness in regard to crops, live-stock, implements, buildings, 
and accounts, and the neatness and order which prevail in every 
department. 
This farm of 390 acres, resting on a granitic subsoil, had been 
managed on the principle of extracting all that was to be had with 
the least possible outlav, until the owner took it in hand and 
soon tripled its produce, besides tripling the market value of much 
similar land around him from the influence of his example. 
This land of furze, broom, fern, and rushes was once a perfect 
sieve for manure ; but composts of lime and marl have wrought 
such a change that fields bought for 3/. per acre were in 1843 
valued at 16Z. 
VOL. XXIV. D 
