84 FRANCE 



the season, to as many as 1,000 tons a day, so 

 that complete train -loads of French potatoes 

 can be made up at Southampton for transit to 

 London. At the same time there will be two 

 boat-loads a week, representing up to 200 tons 

 each, going from St. Malo to Hull, and one 

 a week to Cardiff. All around St. Malo the 

 cultivation of new potatoes as an early crop is 

 followed by cauliflowers, of which every year 

 larger quantities are being produced, and it is 

 found that the farmers will readily drive into 

 St. Malo with their produce, although their 

 farms may be twelve or fourteen miles from that 

 port. One further consequence of all these 

 conditions is that agricultural land in the district 

 has doubled in value. 



Of Cherbourg Mr. M. C. Gurney wrote a 

 few years ago, when he was British Consul 

 there : — 



This district owes its prosperity to the soil, to a wise 

 selection of its capabilities, and development of all its 

 resources, no section of agricultural industry being con- 

 sidered too insignificant to receive careful attention. No 

 part of the dairy and the farmyard, however small the 

 profits which can be made to swell the total income, is 

 neglected. It is sad to acknowledge that the main source 

 of local prosperity is due to the inability of British agri- 

 culturists to supply the need of the millions of consumers 

 in our Metropolis and our large provincial towns, which 



