342 
The French Peasant- Farmers Seed Fund. 
were far ahead of the generality of those raised from native seed." 
(Pp.12, 13.) 
With reference to the district in which he had himself dis- 
tributed the seed, Captain Delf writes as follows : — " In the 
Seine Inferieure I inspected many communes in the cantons 
Elbeuf, Boos, Maromme, Pavilly, Cleres, Buchy, Neuchatel. 
Forges, and others : everywhere I was met with smiles from 
those who had received help, and every expression of gratitude 
was poured out by the peasantry, who spoke in the highest termj 
of the results from the grain, potatoes, &c., sent from thf 
English Society ; all had succeeded well, the oats were magni- 
ficent, the barley was of a quality they are quite unaccustomec 
to, vetches were good, and the potatoes were promising a large 
return. The latter crop had hitherto escaped the disease, whicf 
had shown itself about a fortnight in those grown from the seec 
of the country. At Grand Couronne I saw a striking instance 
of the exemption of the Scotch potatoes from any symptom o 
disease, while those growing from the native tubers, and the set 
immediately adjacent, were badly attacked. The benefit accruing 
from this Society to the agriculture of France generally will bi 
very great, inasmuch as the larger farmers are applying to thi 
peasants for a stock of seed of English variety for future sowings 
thus the peasants will make an extra price of this year's harvesi 
produce, and at the same time benefit their neighbours, the large 
occupiers." (Pp. 29, 30.) 
The foregoing quotations are extracted from Captain Delf'l 
Report, as being fairly descriptive of the results of the operatiomi 
of the Seed Fund in some of the departments in which thei 
seed was distributed. But Captain Delf states that simila 
accounts might be given as to the result in every communi 
which he visited during a tour that occupied nearly two months 
It is, however, unnecessary here, as it was in that Report, t 
give statements that are mere repetitions of one another. 
With regard to the failure of the Nursery wheat, I took grea 
pains last autumn to ascertain the facts with a view to thei 
explanation, and more especially made notes of a few instance 
of a more or less satisfactory nature, which I wilf quote fror 
my Report to the Committee : — 
" In the department of the Somme two communes in tb 
canton of Combles have reported that the results of our sprin 
wheat have been very satisfactory ; while the commune of Moi; 
lains, canton of Pcronne, adds that the crop was superior t 
that yielded by the seed the farmers had been able to buj 
Another commune in the canton of Pcronne reports that tl 
hearded wheat had yielded well, while the other kind had give 
nothing but straw. Two communes in the canton of Roisel hav 
