B2 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VrCTORIA, A. 19OI 



the million. About 110 men are employed, and the wages paid are from 50 to SO cents 

 a day. The larger number of hands receive the lower wage, the more skilled workers 

 60 cents, and a very few only of the men most skilled in grafting, budding and propa- 

 gating receive 80 cents per day. The hours for work in the nursery firms in that 

 district, of which there are a large number, are as follows: — From April 1 to October 

 1, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., with 2 hours in all off during the day for meals. From 

 October 1 to November 1 the hours are from 5.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., and from Novem- 

 ber 1 to April 1 they range from 6.30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some women are also employed 

 in weeding the beds of young trees and nursery stoclv, which are about 6 feet wide and 

 50 to 100 feet or more in length, with narrow paths between them. This weeding is 

 all done by hand, the only tools I saw used were the fingers, and the workers receive 

 30 cents per day; they begin to work at 8 a.m., but the hours for closing are the same 

 as those for the men. The general wages paid to labourers by farmers in this district 

 is 30 cents per day and board. The hours of work in summer are from 4 a.m. to 

 8 p.m., with two hours rest at noon. The board is very plain, and consists mainly of 

 bread and soup three times a day, with a more or less liberal portion of Normandy 

 cider. There are no holidays or saints davs kept by the labourinsr people in Nor- 

 mandy, and they are only paid for the days they actually work. When employed by 

 the year they occasionally get a day off, but this is a rare thing, and when employed 

 in this way they are expected to do such work as is needed on Sundays, such as the 

 watering of seed beds, &c. 



The people look robust and very healthy, and seem quite contented. With such 

 low wages, long hours for labour and an admirable climate for propagating, it is not 

 surprising that young trees and shrubs can be bought in this district at very low 

 prices. 



Where men have served the same employer for 25 to 40 years, their cases are 

 reported to the government by the municipal officers, when the government gives 

 medals, which are much prized by those receiving them. The foreman at the nursery 

 visited has been employed by the firm for 26 years, and the secretary for 25 years, 

 and both of these employees had recently received medals. 



AT THE VILMORINS AT VEERIERES. 



A delightful day was spent at the home of the Vilmorins at Verrieres, a few miles 

 from Paris, in company with Mr. Philippe de Vilmorin, the accomplished son of the 

 late Henry Vilmorin, well known throughout the civilized world for his researches 

 in agriculture and horticulture. 



Many magnificent trees are growing about the home, especially cedars of 

 Lebanon, which were decorated with their handsome bright cones. Some rare pines 

 ."".nd spruces were seen, now grown to be large tre?s. the seed of which was planted by 

 the grandfather or great grandfather of Mr. Philippe. A very interesting hybrid 

 was seen, a cross between Abies cephalonica and A. pinsapo, intermediate in form 

 between these two species. There were also hybrid walnuts, and many other interest- 

 ing cross-bred trees. 



The grain on the experimental plots had all been harvested. The plots were 

 small, but very numerous, each of which contains from 40 to 50 plants of the variety 

 under trial, with sufficient space between them to permit of strong growth. At 

 harvest time two of the best and most productive of the plants are selected for seed 

 and the remainder discarded. No attempt is made to cultivate any of the varieties 

 on trial on a large scale until such variety has shown itself to be of special promise. 



The plots during 1900 numbered about 2,500. Of these 1,000 were wheat, 900 of 

 which are named varieties of winter wheat, including about 250 hybrids. There were 

 also 150 varieties of spring wheat, about 100 varieties of barley and nearly 150 

 different sorts of oats. A few varieties only of each class are grown on a larger scale 

 for conmiercial purposes. 



