Daily Yellowstone journal., 1884-08-29
FRENCH FARMING.
The Misery Of the Poor in the French
Agricultural Distr cts.
q Country Of small Propr!elor.-slosv
she small Farmers Li,e-Chlid.
hood. First Lessons-rarn.
ing Implements.
American Agricnlturisi. ]

lAneritsn Agriculturistl
France is one of the richest agricultural
countries Of Europe. It's aO4, 500 square
miles OF area. produce both temperate and
subiropical crops The olive, the null.
berry. and the vine flourish in the south.
and IN the north and northwest (thc most
fertile part Of Europe), the wheat and beet.
root are the staple crops. The latter is o
most important product. rs il i upon il
chat the sugar supply Of the country mainly
depends. Bes.troot sugar first became
known in France when the wars of the
first Napoleon closed the empire To i'm
portations from America. IT, manufac.
iure is now one of the great industries Of
the country.
Unlike England. France is a country Of
small proprelors. The great revolution
wrested the vast estates from their hercdi
iary owners, and threw them into the
market. They were then broken up and
purchased piece meal, and though many
large properties have bccn gathered t..
.eiher siuce then, their numlsr is small
rompar Il with that of the individual
farms The result of this condition of
affairs. j. that while in England wealth
renters in the manufacturing districts and
ihe great cities. in France il is generally
aiffusd over the whole country Ia Eng.
land The farmer pays heavy lanes and
haNy rent. In France. he pays heavy lanes
but no rent. lie saves money. and there
are few farmers indeed, who arr not small
capitalists. The extremely frugal habits
If the agricultural people OF France aid
In bringing about this result Ia England
h, in America the farmer. though he may
D. "a careful man. doe, not stint himself Of
necessities. lie lives well and BE- e,lrualcs
his children. In France matter, are differ.
rnt.
To the misery Of The poor in the French
agricultural districts. no mere description
can do justice, Ike the condi on ri the
English ~ ri,ultu al hborer theirs is one
81 black, ho@le~s privation. There are
sections in nhi,i meat i an unknown ar.
thle If dlei 10 rem. Al best they get a
Nrap of II. and hat OF the cheapest Kind
0nse week. Bread of the poorest quality,
and potatoes form their staple, of diet
The bread is generally baked ia laiches 10
last several weeks. and Is eaten even when
bitter with mould In the mountain dis.
Hicts Of France. the agricultural poor sup
ply the place OF potatoes with a
fungus picked in the woods.
which Is OF kind too coarse for market,
Thousands Of the small farmers. how.
ever. live from choice quite ~ poorly A.
their abprer.. The misery instinct is a
characteristic Of some Of the peoplc.
They save al the expense Of their bodies
sad their minds. All that they raise in
condition hi 10 eat is sold; the rest they
live ON. The agricultural districts Of
France are very wealthy in money boarded
away by people whom one would not s,ls.
pest Of being anything but beggars. If
they were encountered on the high road.
The holiday suit often lasts farmer life
tims He only wears il on occasions Of
sAow, and is not ashamed OF his work
ing clothes. The types of country life In
France are probably distinct from those of
any other country In the world. In some
sesfi0ns. the men and women dress accord.
ing TO their employmenis 80 that you can
distinguish between the field and the STA.
BILE laborer. the dairy women and the
house servant AT sight.
In France as in England the first les
sons VI childhood are labor. The habies
are made SaresrOws Of. and sci 10 watch.
ing the geese. children Of larger growth
drive Ia, lean swine. which look like dogs
in their mesgreness. and drudge in The
larn yards aud the fields.
The various implements now ia Use on
the finest farms in France. would I've ron.
sidersl I'D fashioned across the channel.
In the ..'.i sections. the pillow is little bet
ter than that which The Egyptian uses to
scratch the soil. On very many farms.
the spade aud hoe ARE made to do duty for
the pillow. With small farms and cheap
labor. such a method j. possible. but il
would make France new country for the
farmer, il il wss plowed up from end 10
end like one Of our great farms Ameri.
can took fnd little favor with The French
farmer ~ yet We once passed group
of MY people gathered nj n roadside in
Normandy, 10 watch The workings Of An
American plow.