Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-08-08
French-Canadian Farms.

A correspondent writing of the
French Canadian farmers just on the
Vermont boundary line, says:
On the death of the father the land
was divided longitudinally, the eldest
son taking the largest share and the
younger sons taking fefS. When roads
we're opened in the interior, latitudinal
divisions were also made. But success
sive generations thus dividing the pa
ternal acres, and settling down at
home, have so reduced the size of the
farms that the land is call longitude" {"
the frontage often being thirty three
and half feet and the depth two thou
sand feet, or as one to sixty. This
causes the rows of old houses to have
the appearance of a village street.
But what can we say of the farms !?
The poor soil is exhausted, and the
whole French Country is overstocked
with wretched and shiftless ha6itaat8
Thousands of them travel many miles
to help the Vermont farmers, or to work
in the brick-yards of New England.
The summer over, they return with al
most the only money they ever see, and
which is too often all exhausted before
they reach home. Their cabins are of
squared logs, the chinks filed with
mortar the gables are of sawed boards,
and the roofs are of tin or wood. The
open summer kitchen is exposed to
every storm. Close by the adjoining
corn-crib, and making ladder for the
rats, stands the ponderous cart, with
wooden axles and double springs of
the same material. Within call is the
small bodied but large-limbed "French
horse" originally from Normandy, and
as his master drives him he will first
deal blow, and then you will hear,
" Ava1rat! Ah ! oauvre chev0l! vous
dUez e17a bon naaitre ;" The shaggy
brown and white dog, unlike any other
of his species, also appears. It is we'll
that these animals can subsist on little,
and that little of the coarsest kind for
their masters have nothing more or bet.
ter to give them. Besides onions and
potatoes, peas form the chief diet; and
so common is this staple that "pea-
soup" is used derisively as an adjec-
tive or noun. Poultry and salt pork
are the more substantial dishes, and
the only meats on their bill of fare.
Yet they have one luxury-the 6oudin,
or " blood-pudding," as the English
call it. A fine pig is selected, the
| tbroot ont ond fba bloo5 ol1oxro5 b
drip into pan an old woman adds
flour and other things, as experience
suggests, and stirs the whole until it
becomes cold. This delightful CON-
pound is then baked, and those who
have eaten of it say that it is excel
lent.
Tobacco is not luxury but q neces-
sity with these people. After raising
and curing it they twist it into rolls
like Bologna sausage, and smoke the
strong and filthy stuff in short clay
pipes.
In person the habitants are small,
and have the regular features of the
French. If any boards are worn, they
very thinly cover the face. Upon their
heads are hats with narrow brims or
caps without visors. Their clothing is
of coarse woolen stuff, called "French
gray" In cold weather several pairs
of stockings cover their feet, which are
then thrust into moccasins, or immense
boots without heels, secured by strap
over the instep. For merely wet wealth
er, or for standing on the ice, wooden
shoes (8abots) are used. In personal
habits cleanliness seems to be unknown.
Smallpox prevails to an alarming OK.
tent. The language they speak does
not arise to the dignity of O patoiS.
Even when French is spoken entirely,
it has the English construction and
idioms. They are poor, but seem to be
happy, especially in the enjoyment OF
their numerous holidays, the number
of which they ever strive to increase.
On saints days professions are formed,
and all lookers-on are expected to un.
cover the head and kneel as they pass
with banners and images. A young
man known to us was tarred and feath.
cred because he was so unfortunate as
to be caught by a procession while
bathing. His hiding under the bridge
did not save him from the consequences
of q fancied insult.