The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-10-07 00:00:00

FRENCH AND ENGLISp. }ARMING.

I have lately travelled over a considerable pert of France,
taking. as in many previous years, careful note of the
agriculture of that country; and I should like to say a
word with reference to Lord Beaconsfield's remarks upon
French agriculture. as well as upon his lordship's reiterated
definition and division of agricultural profit& With regard
to the latter, " the essence of the artificial character " of
our system is obviously that the British farmer requires
of superintendence, while the continental, and,
wages of
the Canadian, farmer operate upon the far more
secure and economic basis of °beanies only their own land
warms of labour Th.* We very many day. in every year
when adequate wages of aupwintendeoce cannot be earned
upon the average of English farms. There is no day when
the labouring farmer cannot be profitably occupied. Lord
Beaostafield states that whereas the average product per
acre of wheat in England is VI bush., in France it is 14 bush,
The precision of this twofold contrast is attained by an
extreme assertion of he produce of this island and •
depression of that of France But, admitting it. accuracy,
what does it prove! That peasant or personal farming ,
produces less than fanning by • system of superintendenoe I
Certainly not. Any one who has e'en • cursory ACQ want-
awe with the results of French sericulture will know that
the produce of wheat per hectare ts least upon the farms
of largest extent There are very many large farm, in
Franre, and the average product, upon which the Prime
Minister's argument is based, i. diintuished by the return
from these farms. The comparison made by his lordship
is worthless for his purpose unites he can show, which is
lrupo.uible, that in France the average product of wheat ia
reduced by the yield of the small farms. The fact is that
the peasant farms produce the largest yield, and very often
a yield much larger than the average of England. In France
the deficiency of agricultural capital, especially upon
the larger farms, is even more apparent than in
England. I have heard of • large farm being taken in
France by • tenant whose floating capital did not exceed
10s, per acre. Thepeea.nt proprietor is never quite so
badly off as that But why go to France for com.panson,
when midway there is a portion of the United Kingdona.
In regard to which comparison can be far more flatly
applied I I will venture to say of the 9000 farmers of
Jersey, with an average of about 12 acres of land, that
their extensive product of wheat is more nearly double
than equal to that of England- And why In climate and
soil they hare no advantage over France; but they. have
abundant capital, and they are almost perfect in the
economy of agriculture. I entered a greengrocer's shop
here yesterday, and asked. "Where do these pears come
from r "France" "And these apples r France."
" And this lettuce r "France' I had heard enough,. I
and was confirmed in my opinion that this time, of hut, I
the voice of seam and truth is that of thaw who say that
our agricultural system has broken down. Annus
Eastotti, loarstom ~• " grintiteral ass sac"