

GROWERS' COLONIES 115 



is no hardship in a gardener's profession other than 

 that of rough weather, but on the other hand great 

 happiness is obtainable by the freedom from all 

 artificial surroundings, the fact of getting back to 

 the very root of things which comes from close 

 contact with Nature, by early hours and an open- 

 air occupation. 



It may be suggested that this sort of life is 

 monotonous and self-centred, that its social attrac- 

 tions are limited because these ladies would not be 

 able to meet and exchange ideas with men of their 

 own social standing. It is, however, the opinion 

 of many that when this war is ended all the present 

 conditions of life will be altered, greatly simplified 

 and improved. Although it is impossible to foretell 

 with certainty what will happen, it appears likely 

 that many men will take up agriculture, fruit- 

 growing, forestry, and market-gardening as pro- 

 fessions. 



Thus would the countryside return to its original, 

 happy state, much as it existed in Tudor days, 

 when the sons and daughters of gentlemen worked 

 by the side of the cottager and all were united in 

 their co-operative interest of increasing the yield 

 of the soil in each manor or community. This 

 happiness in work would bring back forcibly to us 

 those rare riches of calm and steadfastness that 

 only the land can hold, riches of which we have 

 been apt to lose sight with the invasion of the 

 week-end visitor and those who treat country life 

 much as a plaything, to be taken up for a time and 

 then cast aside, because the glitter and sparkle of 

 town life seem more attractive. 



