St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-07-05
FARMER LIFE IN FRANCE.
written for the CALEDoN1AN.1

- L GILL OLl(ldl, at IN q hNNH
observer and an unbiased writer,
tells in 4 recent magazine in an at
tractive manner of the conditions
and opinions that most prevail in
French country life. The striking
contrast to farmer life in New Eng
land, where the standard of civiliza-
ton. excellent in many ways, has
suffered little from mistaken policies,
the status of the French peasant
from remote times has been subjected
to r1isshapement from the quasi-serf-
dom, which under feudal law held
him to the soil. He is, as we find
him, an evolution Of the century;
for his emancipation dates from the
Revolution which also parcelled out
the land, and his privileges have
been enlarged by the republic.
His environment is superior to
anything that could possibly have
been his lot a half century ago; but
measured by our standards his life is
still u~nattractive. He has few or no
amusements, no clubs,
no concerts, no winter entertain
ments and no school festivities for the
children. His reading is limited.
Only a quarter Of a century ago a
man who could read the papers in
the country districts was i~nfrequent.
The new generation with better
education shows a more decided IN
clination to read; and where for
merly there was one paper there are
now twenty. The French peasant,
as a rule, is Industrious and frugal;
his food is simple, limited mainly to
soups and vegetables, bread, cheese
and salads, with some meat in har-
vest time.
The rural population is largely
gathered in villages, whence the la
borers go out to their work in the
fields. Day laborers, farmers and
small landowners divide the Guilt
walton of the soil. The first, if reg
ularlv employed may earn about
800 per year, and his food. The
second, the farmer, rents from others
the land he tills. His rents are high
and his profits small, and results to
him are not encouraging. Few,
nowadays, are able to save any
money, and some Is elsewhere be-
come bankrupt.
The small land owner is, perhaps.
the happiest man in a country par
ish. He and his colleagues may
number thirty in a population of one
thousand. He possesses from
eighteen to one hundred acres o
land, does much of his own work
has few expenses and is sure, at al
events, of enough to live on. A wei
cultivated farm of fifty acres, free o
encumbrances can be made to sup
port six persons, and yield the ownei
an annual profit of 500 to $3.50
and this in spite of heavy taxes.
1t is admitted that in the mos
prosperous portions of France, tn
land owners out number the farmer!
or renters of land, and it goes with
out saying that the general content
ment and welfare is advanced to
higher plane.
There I many large farms, aver
aging about $50 acres each, mainl,
in the possession of absentee land
lords who take no interest. in tn
land beyond receiving their rents
and have little or nc interests in o
sympathy with the peasantry, anc
are included with those who do no
look kindly upon any republican
form Of government.
The country is plentifully supplied
with schools and the instruction
found in them is very good. TIL
teachers are all we'll trained an,
certified as to fitness, and the sala
ries paid by the government. Schoo
attendance is now compulsory, an
gratuitous, and altogether matter
shape themselves under the republi
better than ever before.
S. o. TODD.
cat nF CHaRACTER