The French Peasant- Farmers^ Seed Fund. 341 
the help rendered to them in a time of cruel distress was calcu- 
lated to prove a lasting benefit. The average yield of the barley 
grown from French seed in Villandrj and a few neighbouring 
communes I should estimate at from 4 to 6 sacks per acre, and 
the result of the English seed at from 7 to 9 sacks per acre. In 
drawing these comparisons I was very careful to ascertain that 
the conditions under which the seed was sown were similar, and 
in most cases the comparisons were drawn between crops separated 
only by a single furrow. 
"The oats seen around Villandry were of two varieties, viz., 
Tartarian and potato ; they were very much superior to the oats 
grown from the native seed, the straw being much longer, and 
the grain-produce decidedly larger. The gift of oats was very 
much esteemed, and I was told that it was the intention of the 
peasants to substitute the new stock for the old." (Pp. 8 and 9.) 
" Leaving Chateau-le-Rideau in the direction of Chinon, and 
ascending some rising ground, we came upon a plateau of argil- 
laceous land, where I was shown a remarkable contrast between 
several pieces of barley grown from the Society's seed compared 
with others which had been produced by the native seed. The 
difference was so distinctly in favour of our own that the most 
untutored eye would at once detect it. Here there was nothing 
to wish for ; our seed was evidently that of the Nottingham 
variety ; similar to that I had seen in the neighbourhood of Vil- 
landry, and like that was bright in colour, plump in condition, 
, and long in the ear. The average produce of the English 
barley seen in this walk I should estimate at from 7 to 10 
; sacks per acre. I was also shown much maize growing from 
our seed, which had had great care bestowed upon it, in common 
with most of the forage crops ; here also was the promise of great 
abundance of food for the cows." (Pp. 10 and 11.) 
" At Monnaie, the Maire, M. Tiphaine, was able to show us 
some very interesting results, by reason of the active part he 
had taken in the distribution of our seed. On several pieces of 
land bearing barley, oats, maize, and potatoes, grown from this 
Society's seed, the produce was very satisfactory, especially 
some barley which had had a little extra manure ; this crop was 
of very fine quality, and in quantity I should estimate it at 10 
sacks per acre. I also saw some very good oats of the Tartarian 
variety, which were superior to any of the oats of the country ; 
, one piece which I inspected had been sown with a mixture of 
■ Tartarian and French oats, and afforded a most convincing 
proof of the place that the former will take with the peasant- 
farmer, the English oats being much longer and stronger in the 
straw, and, what is more to the purpose, the grain was in like 
measure. The red Scotch potatoes were highly prized, as they 
