Olivier de Serres | |
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| Born | 1539 (1539) |
| Died | 1619 (aged 79–80) |
| Occupations | author, soil scientist |
| Known for | accepted textbook of French agriculture in the 17th century |
| Notable work | Théâtre d'Agriculture (book) |
| Relatives | Jean de Serres (brother) |
Olivier de Serres (French pronunciation:[ɔlivjedəsɛʁ]; 1539–1619) was a French author andsoil scientist whoseThéâtre d'Agriculture (1600) became the standard reference on French agriculture in the 17th century.[1]
Serres was born in 1539 atVilleneuve-de-Berg,Ardèche. His brother,Jean de Serres, was a well-known French humanist and translated the complete works ofPlato.
His book was notable for recommending winegrowers to plant 5 to 6 varieties in their vineyards to balance the risk of a crop failing, an example ofcrop diversity.
It also recommendedmétayage (sharecropping) so that cash tenants would take all the risks and thus demand lower rent, as hired labour is expensive to manage. Sharecroppers administer themselves and risks are divided with the landlord. According to him, only large landowners should take the risk of hiring labourers and running the estate themselves.[2]
TheDomaine Olivier de Serres is Olivier de Serres' former estate, located inArdèche. It hosts facilities for visitors and agricultural research and teaching facilities, including some operated byGrenoble Alpes University.[3]
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