The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-16
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EVERY. VINE HIS IT'S INDIVIDUAL STAKE 90

UoeoAai cofrapeolsaes q The Sunday Republic.
In the Valley Of the Rhors. Oct. al
want TO tell you something about the
farmers Of France.
I have been travelling for weeks through
the different parts Of this country.
I am now on . train speeding UP the
Rhone Valley from Lyons to Switzerland.
The land IL covered with luxurfant crops.
There are no fences.
Natures great patchwork stretches out on
every side a. far - my eyes can reach
Just now We are passing some wheat IN
which blood red peoples as big around a. Q
tea cup look out Of the green.
On the opposite side Of the train il q hay
feid where women and girls arr working
side by side with the men
Farther on Is a great xpens Of white
pulling the weeds.
The women here wofh a. hard n the men.
They do III sorts Of held labor. and yoa
re them Scatfefsd over every landscape
They are more thrifty than tho men.
They are among the great saver OF the
French people.
The work among the farmers, goes on
throuebout,the week and often on Sunday.
The zelda sre full Of Sunday wofkers.
while the church bells are toliing me
chanics are plyink their trades
II ordinary stcfs1 and wsfksheps arr
spen.
I have described England q owned by
Franc. h o~hed ~ ths many.
There are s,5Op.ooo land owuer6 among the
H.6eoeo people which make ~ the French
H SspIRaSi FARM fscLupEs
LESS THAN SEX ACRE1E
4 tn averAks Land holdtdt szisns thaA six
acres.
ThosSands y aitsss trxcts uysu which
they i've. serkin6 : pan Of The year for
TIL French isvA heir lara.
1t v this cottnch ownership that keeps
them At
They are not an sfnigrating nstion. Ike
the Germans and Italians or the English.
More strangers come into France every
year than Ffenchmen leave.
Notwithstanding this the people arc
about the richest on the face OF the globe.
They were able to pay the enormous
Franco-Prussian War debt without feeling
1t.
They have now hundreds Of millions of
dollars stored away in their wooden stock
ings under the rafters.
They are Prosperous. although they have
the largest debt Of any nation.
They pay In interest alone a quarter Of
a billion dollars a year, or almost 81 per
head. to say nothing of the taxes required
for the necessary expenses Of the Govern
ment.
The French are excellent farmers.
With them Q penny saved II two pence
earned.
They see that nothing goes to waste.
They live a. cheaply as any people Of
Europe.
The average farmer starts out to work on
black bread and vegetable soup.
He may eat only bread and cheese and
a glass OF wine.
and perhaps fried potatoes. and In the even
ing the eaY1e.
he has wine At every meal. for It y one
Of the cheapest OF drinks.
Nearly every one keeps 3 goal. but few
drink the milk. for goats milk Will make
cheese.
The farming - intensive.
The wheat regions produce almost twice
rs much on the average a. the wheat delds
of the United States.
Every bit OF lard II Used. ana nothing
\ On the larger farms American machinery
rs employed.
Our plows are bought. ana aise our NOW
ers and threshers.
President Loubet uses an American reap
er on his big Frcnc estate.
The French understand how to make
money out of trees.
They appreciate the value of the Forests.
and have some OF the largest and best OF
the world.
VAST WOODLANDS
BELONGING TO GOVERNMENT.
There are vast woodlands belonging to
the Government.
In the private holdings the trees are as
well cared for as in our city parks.
Only the ripe trees are cut, and every
piece of fallen wood is saved.
The roads and streams and little canals
OF France are lined with poplars.
I can see long lines OF them cutting the
landscape in every direction as i look out
OF my car window.
= Sryna ~ fha trace ara q htin6rAd HRSt
4isH. ns 'Ae 'ee are -
4 They are bare OF branches, with only a
tassei left on the top.
Others are full limbe6.
Others are just sprouting new growth on
all sides.
These popiars are grown for their
branches, and are finally cut dow for
wood or for furniture.
The branches grow rapidly.
They are cut OF year after year, put mp
into bundles and sold to the bakers to make
the hot fires necessary for the crisp crust
on the French bread.
There Is such a demand for them that
raising them is one Of the chief industries
OF France
The poplars are planted in places which
are good for nothing else. and after 1ve
years each win annually produce II least
20 cents.
Later on the trees are cut down and cold.