The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-03

0BB0aAoD1Cn
are poor, barren, or waste lands, are
put to use which. yield larger profits than
can be derived from the level lands of west
ern France. On the mountains in north
western France are grown immense quanti-
ties OF chestnuts, which constitute quite an
article OF food. and are eaten by nearly
every one. Millions of acres of VINEYARDS
are planted on the hill-slopes and mountain
sldes; and other millions of hill and vale
are devoted TO the growth OF the mulber-
ry-tree, the olive, date, fig. almond. orange
peach, and other fruits. L saw, between
Ioulon and Nice, in a district of 100 miles.
at least half a-million of acres that were
mainly devoted TO the growth Of the olive
Tree. Inc mountain-sldes were clothed with
these evergreens to their very tops. where
ever there was earth enough in which the
roots could hide or hold. The traveller. in
passing through France IN any direction.
cannot help observing the
ABSENCE OF FENCE AND FARM HOUSES.
In the level portions the whole country is an
unbroken expanse of tillage, without inclo-
sure or aught to mark one farm from anoth-
or. Why there are no fences. seeing that
the thorn grows nearly as well in France as
In Great Britain, is to me a puzzle. The
only live hedge fences one sees are those
planted by the railroad companies on either
SID OF their tracks of which there are thous-
ands OF miles. Everywhere one notices old
men or women, boys or girls, herding cattle
or sneep on particular patches of ground.
AS there are 5,000,0 900 of farms la France.
and the owners of each keep horses, cattle
or sheep, 1t must consume the major part of
the time of 5000, 900 of Iersons to watch the
i've stock when grazing. All this expendi-
ture OF time and labor could be obviated by
planting hedge fences, as is done in Great
Britain and Ireland. Perhaps one reason Is
that the people do not want to waste the
space OF ground which the hedges would
occupy; and another, that they do not live
on their lands, but in villages. and the cat
tie would have to be driven to pasture and
Dack morning and evening. But whatever
may be the cause there are no fences To be
seen, and all live stock must oe watched nv
the owners. Sometimes one will see a sim
gle cow or half a dozen sheep kept in place
Dy a ~gray-halred old woman or a little girl.
III must require the exercise of considerable
patience 10 do it. AS remarked before,
THE PEoPLE LIVE IN
containing. on a general average, a hundred
families, and each with its old church in
the centre, but often no school house. These
villages are nearly always located with ref
erence TO water and sunshine. A good
spring out of a hill-side; a little valley with
a brook that does not go dry in summer: a
slope OF a hill, sheltered from the north and
east cold winds, and supplied with water
are the spots that were selected centuries
ago for those clusters offarm houses. Thous-
ands of villages have stood for ten or moro
centurles; and there is little perceptible
cnange In the manners, customs, or patois
OF the inhabitants, since the DAYS of the cru
saders, or, for that matter, since the conquest
OF France 10y Julius Caesar, 1,S00 wears ago.
L have looked at hundreds of these ancient
rural villages, and observe they are all
ailke. A description of one is a description
or all. Generally there is only one street but
sometimes a second, crossing it at any angle
except a right one. The street is about Is to
30 feet wide; has no sidewalk; is clean, but
crooked as a rams horn. Each house
IS built OF brick or stone, and covered with
tile, having steep roofs, with gables fronting
the street. In the rear of each house are a
stable for the shelter OF cattle; some other
farm-bulldings; a place for farm-imple-
ments; little cellars in the ground for veget-
aoles. wine, etc.; and a pile of wood Tor turf.
where that is p~roduced). cut short and as
sorted into twigs for kindlfngs and split
wood for heating. Ivy or other creeping
vines grow up the sides of the houses-on
the south front, generally grapevines. F-e-
quently a pretty little garden may be seen
between the house on the front and the
stabling on the rear of the lot. Everything is
old and,quaint. The universal vehicle of the
farmer is a cart, or rather the body of a draw
mounted on high wheels. If more than one
horse is used they are driven tandem. This
mode Of conveyance is only varied by the
employment OF pack-mules and donkeys
which carry enormous loads for their size.
One will often see 6 fat old woman going to
market mounted on . little donkey not
much larger than a sheep, which obbles
and staggers along under its overload
OF ancient dame and strsddle-baskets
filled with poultry and vegetables,
with all the patience and gravity of an
ass. In addition to the farmers, each village.
or commune, has its wine-shop, its little
variety store, a blacksmith, tailor, and some
other primitive artisans, and a curate, but
4 rQrnlu a CQhnN1m QctQr Sauna Of VILLAGES
contain several hundred houses and transact
a little local trade. Another thing that ar
rests the attention ofthe tourist is the
UNlvERsALLY-CAREFUL MANNER
n which the country is cultivated. There
seems to be not an acre of ground in France
that is not devoted to some useful purpose.
There is no waste or idle ground. The
marshes appear to be drained and reclaimed,
the brooks and creeks have been straiRhten-
ed, and, where they would be likely to wash
awav the earth, the banks thereof are care
fully walled up; and the same is done with
rivers where, in making bends, they would
cut away the adjoining fields; stone walls
protect the land against such apprehended
less. Where streams, large or small over
flow their banks, levees are raised to pre-
vent it, and protect the adjacent lands from
damage. Fine stOne-arch bridges cross all
the streams. The largest rivers in
France have been thus spanneA Be-
fore the era of railways, the government
built those bridges for military purposes,
and they will endure for centuries. All the
country roads / have seen are solid turn
pixies, paved with the hardest procurable
stone. The French take great pains with
their roads, and keep them carefully repair
ed. Ride out into the country in any direc-
ton, from any city, and you are always sure
OF finding a smooth, solid, clean road. At
intervals of a mile or two will be found
road-menders, breaking stone, or repairing
spots needing it. All along. at short dis
am" on the rosd-sides, ready for use when
required. Where the country is billy or the
ground uneven, the track of the road is
crooked, but runs where the easiest grade
can be found.
Mark Twain, in his 'Innocents Abroad,
Tins Describes the duchess nj Edi hnro &c