WORK IN A FRENCH GARDEN 7 



munch a crust whilst at work, and at 9 o'clock all 

 go to breakfast. In the summer time, owing to 

 the heat, they rest for one or two hours at mid-day 

 and all have dinner together like a family. After 

 dinner, each one works on again without interruption 

 until supper time, which takes place at 10 o'clock in 

 summer and at 8 o'clock in winter. During the 

 evening the men water the crops, make mats, carry 

 leaf-soil, manure, etc. At the same time the women 

 arrange the produce in baskets, crates, or hampers 

 according to requirements, after which the waggon 

 is loaded so that everything shall be in readiness 

 for the market. Such is the picture of a French 

 maraicher's or market-gardener's life as drawn by 

 Court ois-Gerard in 1844, and it is apparently much 

 the same now. Certainly, one has only to pay a 

 visit to the Halles Centrales as the Paris markets 

 are called to see at a glance what an important 

 part the wives and daughters of the French market- 

 gardeners play in the great industry we are con- 

 sidering. Are those who wish to make fortunes 

 out of the land in the British Islands willing to work 

 like French men and French women ? That is the 

 point. 



THE SITE FOR A FRENCH GARDEN 



When choosing a site for a French garden it is 

 essential to select a piece of land quite free from 

 trees and shrubs, and away from high buildings that 

 cast a shade. The ground should be either flat 

 or with a gentle slope in any direction between the 

 south-east and south-west ; and if rectangular in 



