Page 40 - Biorefinery 2030 Future Prospects for the Bioeconomy (2015)

2 History 7

than silt and, for example, during the first half of the nineteenth century, the
wheat yield in the Aisne department was 35 % higher than in the Marne.

These factors lead us to wonder how the Chalk Champagne region managed to
become exceptionally fertile.

1.5 Methods of Increasing Fertility

Three of the different agronomic practices possible were used to increase produc-
tivity in Champagne:

– Working the soil, which became increasingly efficient due to developments in
mechanisation and then motorisation, and which made it possible to plough
more deeply and thoroughly, including land far from villages.
– Mineral fertilisation, which is generally considered as the decisive factor in
developing agriculture in chalk lands. Cleared land is thus able to benefit from
potassium fertilisation, whilst most chalk land was fed by phosphates in the form
of soluble fertilisers or other substitute elements such as magnesium.
– The effect of a number of “improving crops” such as alfalfa, which captures
atmospheric nitrogen. Its cultivation is recognised as being beneficial, particu-
larly for more fragile soil; it allows the land to “rest” and to retain a good level of
fertility, which is necessary to maintain productivity. 1

The mass utilisation of these methods of increasing fertility by local farmers
engendered enormous changes in Champagne in a very short time and totally
transformed the region’s former reputation. Although this phenomenon, known as
the “miracle of Champagne” was the result of intensifying or artificializing the
environment, it was only made possible by the existence of chalk soil with its great
potential, as described above.
Know we turn to the question of what contemporary agriculture in Champagne
owes to history.

2 History

Historically, as long ago as the Gallo-Roman era, the region gained a reputation as a
“good, beautiful land;” it was known as “Champagne Propre” or “Clean Cham-
pagne.” It was quite prosperous until the Middle Ages, particularly because of a
number of large, internationally recognised fairs. However, neither reputation nor
prosperity lasted later than the eighteenth century.

1
Alfalfa, because of its deep root system, creates tiny cracks in the chalk, enabling water to rise
through a capillary process during periods of drought.