The whole is thick set with
farm-houses, chateaux, and the bastides of the inhabitants of Lyons. The
people live separately, and not in villages. The hill-sides are in vine
and corn: the plains in corn and pasture. The lands are farmed either
for money, or on half-stocks. The rents of the corn-lands, farmed for
money, are about ten or twelve livres the arpent. A farmer takes perhaps
about one hundred and fifty arpents, for three, six, or nine years. The
first year they are in corn; the second in other small grain, with
which he sows red clover. The third is for the clover. The spontaneous
pasturage is of greensward, which they call fromenteau. When lands
are rented on half-stocks, the cattle, sheep, &c. are furnished by the
landlord. They are valued, and must be left of equal value. The increase
of these, as well as the produce of the farm is divided equally.
These leases are only from year to year. They have a method of mixing
beautifully the culture of vines, trees, and corn. Rows of fruit-trees
are planted about twenty feet apart. Between the trees, in the row, they
plant vines four feet apart, and espalier them.
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