young’s TRAVELS IN FRANCE.

44 1

Snd their good years, but they always yield fomething, and the average produce is rarelyfar removed from that of any particular year. With vines the difference is enormous ;this year they yield nothing; in another, perhaps cafks are wanted to containthe exuberant produce of the vintage ; now the price is extravagantly high ; and againfo low, as to menace with poverty all who are concerned in it. Under Inch variations,the ideas even of proprietors, who live by the culture, are not often correct, in relation tothe medium of any circumftance: nor is it always eafy to brilig individuals to regard ra-ther the average of a diftrict, than the particular one of their own fields. In many cafes,it is more fatisfadory to rely on particular experience, when it appears tolerably exadt,than to demand ideas, fo often vague, of what is not immediately within the practice ofthe man who fpeaks. Thefe difficulties have occurred fo often, and in fo many ffiapes,that the reader can hardly imagine the labour which it repeatedly coft me to gain thatapproximation to accuracy, which I was fortunate enough fometimes to attain. But,after all the inquiries! have made, with attention and induftrv, I do not prefutnc to in-fert here an abftradt of my notes as intelligence that can be entirely relied on: I am fa-tisfied, that it is impoffible to procure fucli, without application, time, and exertions,which are not at the command of many travellers. Contenting myfelf, therefore, withthe probability of being free from grofs errors, tynd with the hope of giving fome infor-mation on the fubjcct, not to be found in other books, I venture to fubmit the follow-ing extradl to the public eye, though it be a refult inadequate to the labour, variety,and ejtpeded fuccefs of my inquiries. It is neceffary farther to premife, that the readermuft not contrail the circumftance of one place with thofe of another, under the ideathat a confiderable difference is any proof of error in the account. The price of an ar-pent is fometimes out of proportion to the produce ; and the profit at other times un-accounted for by either :—this depends on demand, competition, the divifion of proper-ties, the higher or lower ratio of expence, and on various other circutnftances, which, toexplain fully in each article, would be to enlarge this fingle chapter into a volume ; Itouch on it here, merely to guard againft conclufions, which are to be made with cau-tion. The towns named in the following table, are the places where I procured intel-ligence.—None are inferted in which I did not make the inquiry, as I was at every placementioned in the margin.

The rents of vines aro named but at few places; for they are very rarely in any otherhands than thofe of the proprietor j even where rent is named, there is not one acre inan hundred let.

The price of the produdl is every where that of the fame autumn as the vintage :thofe who can afford to keep their wine have much greater profits ; but as that is a l'pe-cies of merchandize as much in the power of a dealer as a planter, it ought not to bethe guide in fuch accounts as thefe.

Isle o? France.— Arpnjon. —Rent of fome to 80 livres; in common 25 livres.Expencesin labour, exclufiveof vintage, 60 livres (2I. ics. pd. per Englilh acre.) Pro-duce, 6 pieces, of 80 pints, each 14 bottle.

F.jlampes. —Meafure 80 perch, of 22 feet. Produce, 10 to 22 pieces. Rent to 90livres. Labour, 60 livres, (2I. 1 3s. 9ft. per Englilh acre,) vintage excluded.

Orleans. —Price in the town-, 1.50 livres the piece, of 240 bottles, and retail 6 to 1 of.•the pint, of t| bottle. Rent 45 livres. Labour, 40 livres. vintage excluded (il. 13s. 9d.per Englilh acre.) Arpent of 40,000 feet.

jS. of ditto. —Meafure 100 perch, of 20 feet. Produce. 7 pieces, and in a good year-32. Rent, 36 livres. Labour, 40 livres. (il. 13s. iod per Englilh acre.)

VOL. IV. 3 L SOLOGNE.