34 
Tlic Prize Farms of France. 
In 1832 M. de Monseignat, then fresh from Roville, took 
possession of tlie farm, in an utterly dilapidated and beggared 
state. 
The best of the land then grew broom for five or six years, 
which was cut and burnt or sold, then stubbed and tilled for rye, 
followed by oats, without any manure, and then abandoned 
again to the broom. On the inferior lands occupied by gorse 
and fern, longer intervals were allowed. The first step was to 
clear, manure, and till the best lands, disregarding the objection 
that the flock would be starved, and then, as manure accumulated, 
to attack a fresh piece, and even devote a few chosen strips to 
mangold and carrots. The second and most important step was 
liming : about 4 cubic yards were applied to the acre on Pavis's 
plan, i. e. small heaps of quicklime are formed in the field, and 
immediately covered with a bed of earth 6 to 8 inches thick. 
When the lime has fallen into powder, both lime and earth are 
spread by the shovel as evenly as possible. The effect was 
marvellous ; wheat supplanted rye, leguminous crops took their 
turn : the crops of high character were tripled ; and so striking 
was the lesson conveyed that the whole districts of Segala 
adopted the practice of liming wherever the supply was within 
50 miles. The lime carted to Clusel costs about 6s. 8c?., of 
which OS. is for cartage. After a while M. dc jNIonseignat 
extended his operations by the purchase of 150 acres, at the 
average price of 21. per acre ; an outlay of about 28s. for grubbing, 
paving, and burning, and spreading, often produced a crop 
which mere than repaid for the whole investment — that is before 
the land market was spoiled. 
The farm buildings have been quite remodelled, but primitive 
simplicity still survives in the use of a cow-poicer for working 
some cider and clover mills, 6cc. 
The rotation, as far as possible, is : 1st year, hoed crops 
(potatoes, turnips, mangolds, carrots, swede turni])s, rape, >S:c. ; 
2nd year, spring corn ; 3rd year, clover ; 4th year, A\dnter 
corn ; 5th year, fallow or an early forage crop. This last is 
the year for liming, deep cultivation, removal of rocks and 
stones and drainage. Forty acres are manured every year. The 
subsoil, here a detestable sand, there an impenetrable gneiss rock, 
requires both caution and strength for the work of subsoiling. 
The drainage water has been turned to account for water 
meadows ; neat reservoirs have been made, and fishbreeding 
carried out on a large scale ; indeed, in the garden and grounds, 
art has contrilmtrd as much to the picturesque as to the more 
liomolv f)!))(>cts of the farm. 
Since 12 or 14 working bullocks are kept besides the cows, 
which take their part in works of lighter draft, such as rolling, 
