CHAPTER X. 



BRITISH AND FRENCH AGRICULTURE. 1 



Since the days when Julius Caesar descended from Gaul 

 upon our shores — and probably even before that date — 

 our relations with our nearest continental neighbour 

 have always been intimate. Whether the two nations 

 have been at variance or in accord they have, at any rate, 

 always been of absorbing interest one to the other. If, 

 as Longfellow tells us, " there's nothing in the world 

 so sweet as love, and next to love the sweetest thing 

 is hate," we may fairly claim to have tried both. But 

 whether we have loved or hated we have never ceased 

 to respect each other and to be keenly interested in each 

 other's concerns. And the farmers of the two countries 

 have special bonds of interest. No visitor to northern 

 France fails to notice its agricultural affinity to southern 

 England, while French farmers have proved themselves 

 formidable competitors in the markets of this country, 

 and have also been welcome customers to British breeders 

 of live stock. 



In attempting to consider very briefly a few of the 

 points of comparison and contrast between British and 

 French agriculture, I cannot but be conscious that I am 

 retelling a tale which has been told many times before by 

 distinguished observers on both sides of the Channel. 

 Since Arthur Young wrote his " Tour in France " many 

 writers have described the conditions and practice of 

 French agriculture, and have in most cases drawn some 

 comparison with the corresponding features of Great 



1 Journal Bath and West of England Society, Vol. XV., 4th series, 

 1905. 



