BULB BARNS, NAMES, AND GROWERS 107 



work at the bulb-cleaning, presumably the workers 

 are not drawn from the class who still wear them. 

 But one does see a beautiful neatness a general 

 impression of cleanness, of blue cotton, neat 

 straight hair, and wooden shoes ; an appearance a 

 good deal more neat and picturesque than the aver- 

 age of poorer women-workers in England ; unless, 

 perhaps, one excepts those who are employed in 

 one branch of pottery-work, where the necessary 

 uniform is print sun-bonnets and overalls. There is 

 no flirting in the barn, practically no intercourse 

 between the men and women, the men simply 

 carry in the basketsful of freshly-lifted bulbs to 

 be cleaned, and carry out those that are done. No 

 doubt when work ceases or dinner-hour comes some 

 young people find each other out. It would be 

 clear waste and much to be regretted if they 

 did not. 



The men employed in the bulb gardens work 

 from about six in the morning till seven at night in 

 the summer ; in the winter, of course, when the 

 daylight is short and the work less, not so long. 

 The thing which strikes one most about them is 

 how much cleaner they are than any English 

 workers on the land. But it is not fair to ascribe 

 this entirely to native characteristics and ideals ; 



