1878.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
4,13 
The Arcy Dairy Farm Near Paris. 
[From Our Special Correspondent.'] 
The Department of Agriculture is very fully re¬ 
presented at the Paris Exposition. The exhibits of 
tools, machinery, fertilizers, and various farm pro¬ 
ducts, occupy eight different buildings, six of them 
in the French section. In Pavilion No. 1, devoted 
to “ Products of Agriculture in France,” one of the 
most interesting exhibits is that by the Arcy Farm, 
L. Nicolas, proprietor. Occupying a wall space, 
75 feet long and 12 feet high, are four water-color 
paintings, 24 x 36 inches, showing two cow-stables, 
that accommodate 54 and 64 head of cattle ; a sheep- 
house divided into two sections, together accom¬ 
modating 1,400 sheep ; a model milk dairy ; maps 
chateau with parks surrounding it, vegetable gar¬ 
den, and out-houses, 65 acres ; wood laud, 202 acres ; 
roads, lakes, ponds, sand-banks, etc., 7 acres. Most 
of the soil was naturally poor, and had been poorly 
cultivated. The surface soil, composed of silica 
and white clay, was almost impermeable, and the 
subsoil, composed mostly of clay, mixed with ferru¬ 
ginous sand, was intermingled with stones and 
rocks. In the best parts the arable surface varied 
in depth from 16 to 24 inches. Of the 535 acres of 
unproductive land, 375 had lain waste upwards of 
70 years. During the past eighteen months this 
waste tract has been cleared and reclaimed, and 
ture land, 30 acres; orchard and vineyard, 1 acre; 
over 600 cords of stone extracted and used in con¬ 
structing buildings and roads. Drainage was com¬ 
menced soon after the purchase, and continued 
His business in the city was conducted through 
numerous agencies. Why not make use of these 
and undertake to deliver milk in Paris—milk guar¬ 
anteed to be pure, unskimmed, and fresh ?—He 
posted himself on the prices of milk in the different 
sections near Paris, and thought he could see suf¬ 
ficient profit in the business to warrant him in en¬ 
tering the field and practically testing the question 
whether Paris needed more and better milk, and 
whether he could satisfactorily supply that want. 
He began to send milk to the city, and to make it 
known that he was prepared to supply customers at 
their homes. The Parisians bought it, and called 
for more. The price at first was 10 cents per litre 
(a little more than a quart). The demand continued 
to increase. He raised the price to 12 cts. per litre. 
As his success increased, he began to enlarge his 
Fig. 1.— THE ARCY FARM BUILDINGS, CHAUMES, NEAR PARIS, FRANCE. 
1. Porter's Bouse—1. Implements, Pens, etc.— 3. Farmer's House— 4. Packing Room, [see fig. 7)— 5. Cows— 6. Swine— 7. Sheep— 8. Horses, Hay, Grain, etc.— 9. Engines— 10. Wagons, etc. 
of the farm, and plans of the different buildings. 
Below on a shelf are arranged samples of the vari¬ 
ous products, etc., of the farm, including twenty 
bottles containing specimens of soil; twenty others 
of fertilizers that have been tested; varieties of 
-stone extracted from the soil; specimens of the 
first crop of Lucern this year, which is three feet 
high, and averaged 385 bottes (tumbles) to the 
acre; salt for cattle and sheep; one clipping of 
wool from a Dishley-Berrichon sheep, weight 9 lbs. 
11 ozs.; bot¬ 
tles of barley, 
oats, and 
English, Ber- 
gues and 
C hildam 
wheat, etc.; 
potatoes, 
beets, and 
turnips; cot¬ 
ton-seedcake 
usedforfeed- 
ing cattle; 
and lastly, 
improved 
cans, jars,and 
baskets, used 
in conveying 
milk to mar¬ 
ket. — It is 
easy to make 
fine pictures q .—arcy farm hile-CAN. 
of a farm, but 
we felt curious to see if Mr. Nicolas’ was equal to 
his water-colors, and on August 7th, after some pre¬ 
liminary correspondence, we had the pleasure of 
paying him a visit. The estate is in the Department 
Seine-and-Mame, about 35 miles southeast of Paris, 
on a plateau, looking down upon the picturesque 
valley of Yeres, and the pretty village of Chaumes, 
to which it belongs. When purchased by Mr. 
Nicolas, March, 1872, the Arcy Farm was compara¬ 
tively small and well nigh worn out. He has since 
made 64 additioual purchases, gradually enlarging 
its limits, until it now comprises 1,205 acres. 
It was originally divided as follows : Unproduc¬ 
tive lend, 525 acres; plowed land, 375 acres; pas. 
uninterruptedly until June, 1876. The 760 acres 
drained had 145 miles of drain laid, at a total ex¬ 
pense of 819,693—an average of about §25.75 per 
acre. The land thus redeemed was previously un- 
cultivatabie, being wet and cold. One field of beets 
had been planted, but rotted in the ground and 
were not gathered. The same field is now one of 
the best on the farm. Seven miles of ditches were 
dug, at a cost of $1,913. An extensive marl-pit on 
the estate, supplied 800 acres, according to need, 
an average of about 6 cords being put to each 
acre, at a total cost of $5,989. Forest trees were 
planted on 58 acres found unfit for cultivation. 
The large expense incurred for manures led to a 
new idea which, when developed, changed this 
place into a stock and dairy farm, and insured the 
success of an undertaking, which, at the start, was 
more or less problematical. The production of 
stable-manure was at first very small, and he found 
it necessary to pur¬ 
chase substitutes, in¬ 
cluding 517 tons of 
night soil from Paris, 
delivered between 
April 1st, 1872, and 
June 1st, 1873, which 
formed an excellent 
fertilizer, but the ex¬ 
pense, upwards of 
$ 8 , 000 , prevented him 
from continuing its 
use. During the first 
year the different fer¬ 
tilizers used cost 
$14,336, and during 
the five years, ending 
1877, a grand total of 
6,000 tons, costing 
about $39,000, besides 
4,522 cords of stable- 
manure, produced 
upon the farm. Naturally enough there could be 
no profits while this expense continued, and the 
wealthy merchant, who wished to see Arcy a finan¬ 
cial success, as well as a pleasant country home, 
began to look about for an answer to the difficult 
problem : “ How can I make my farm pay ? ” 
Fig. 3.— section of (fig. 2) 
CORK-LINED MILK-CAN. 
facilities for production, and to improve his method 
of packing and delivering the milk. 
The new farm buildings are arranged about a 
hollow square, as shown in the sketch (see 
fig. 1 ), and cover 60,000 square feet (about l 4 / u 
acre), with an inner court-yard of 90,000 square feet 
(3VlS acres). They are built of stone, with thatch 
roofs. Over 1,200 cords of stone masonry were used 
in the construction of these buildings; all of the 
stone, together with 
that used in paving the 
court-yard, was extract¬ 
ed from the adjoining 
fields. By means of re¬ 
servoirs and pumps, 
water is conveyed to all 
points where required 
for the stables, cow- 
bams, sheep-pens, etc. 
The expense of these 
new buildings, and 
furnishing them, was 
$44,900. A new stable 
was now added, the 
number of cows doub¬ 
led, and a new creamery 
made, with fittings in 
white marble, and every 
convenience for receiv¬ 
ing and cooling the milk and packing it speedily. 
At first the milk was sent to the city in tin cans, 
lined with cork, and measured out to the order of 
the customer. But white glass jars are now used, 
holding one and two litres, and each sealed at Hie 
farm. Herewith are engravings show¬ 
ing the form of the can, with sectional 
cut, indicating the cork lining (see 
figs. 2 and 3); also of the glass jar 
now used (fig. 4), and of the wicker 
basket in which the jars are packed 
during transportation (fig. 6 ;. Figure 
5 shows the lead seal, stamped with 
the name “ Domaine D’Arcy,” by pjg_ 5 . 
which the cover of each jar is 
held in place, and the genuineness of the milk 
assured. Delivery wagons of attractive pattern 
were built, aiding to advertise the new busi- 
Fig. 4. — SEALED, WHITE 
GLASS MILK-CAN. 
