202 
THE POULTRY BOOK. 
be approximately tested. First, the value of the export trade, 24,000,000 francs ; 
secondly, the consumption at Paris, equivalent to 12,000,000 francs ; in all, 
36,000,000— leaving only 8,000,000 for all the rest of France, even if the feathers 
are quite left out of the account. Such an estimate is therefore quite inadmissible ; 
for as the population of Paris is one-twentieth of that of all France, at Paris ?'ates 
the total value would be 240,000,000 francs. 
M. de Lavergne, however, admitting that the consumption per head in the pro- 
vinces is less than at Paris, considers it may be fairly set at rather more than half 
as great ; and that the eggs, which at Paris are worth 60 francs per 1,000, average 
40 francs per 1,000 in the country. He thus obtains a total of 100,000,000 
francs, or, with the export, 125,000,000, as the annual value of French eggs, and 
considers this estimate to be under the truth. As to the poultry, it is harder to 
generalize. That sold in Paris at 1 franc per lb. is choice and dear ; in the country 
it is not so much in use, and cheaper. On the whole, he concludes that the poultry 
may, like the eggs, be valued at 125,000,000 francs (j 95, 000,000) ; a result 
sufficient to provoke further and more precise investigation, for his estimates only 
profess to be tentative and approximate. At this rate the consumption amounts to 
5s. per head for the whole of the population. 
For Paris a more exact account is kept, which exhibits very striking results. 
The value of the poultry and game together consumed in that city rose from 
^£560,000 in 1852 to £800,000 in 1862 ; and that of the eggs from £246,000 to 
£480,000. It is estimated that there is about five times as much poultry as game 
consumed. The population of the capital had meanwhile increased by 300,000 
souls. It is calculated that prior to 1789, the Parisians consumed annually 8 lb, 
per head of game and poultry, but, in 1862, 30 lb. — a very significant index of 
increased wealth and prosperity. 
The next point for consideration is the distribution of this rural wealth, i.e,, 
which departments are most and which least noted for breeding fowls. It will be 
sufficient to state that of the twenty leading departments, eleven encircle and 
supply Paris ; with these two other departments, Calvados and Eure-et-Loire, may 
perhaps best be classed; Le Nord” and Pas de Calais have a large home con- 
sumption to meet ; two departments supply Lyons ; and the remaining five are in 
the valley of the Garonne, where both soil and climate are so favourable that 
chickens form part of the common food of the inhabitants. As a rule, the districts 
that grow buckwheat are famous for poultry ; not so those which grow rye. 
These statistical inquiries were followed up by a more detailed inquiry by M. 
Barral into the sale of the Houdan poultry in the department Seine-et-Oise, 
The official returns for the three districts which rear these fowls are as follow ; — 
Poultry. 
Eggs and Feathers. 
£ 
... 9,701 
... 7,510 
... 2,804: 
AiTondissement of Mantes 
AiToiidisscmcnt of Preux 
AiTondissement of Nogent ... 
... 12,593 
8,987 
2,278 
£23,808 
£20,081 
