The French Peasant-Farmers Seed Fund. 
331 
two or more kinds of grain. Generally speaking, the representa- 
tives of the Fund found it desirable to restrict still further both 
the area of occupation and the quantity of grain given in each case, 
and thus a proportionately larger number of persons received relief. 
It will be remembered that the capitulation of Paris took place 
on the 28th January, 1871, and was not succeeded by the signature 
of the preliminaries of peace until the 26th February. At the 
former date the subscriptions promised amounted only to about 
2000/., of which not more than 900?. had been received, and it 
was not until nearly the latter period that the list of donations 
gave indications of assuming the proportions which it ultimately 
acquired. In the mean time the Committee were urged on all 
hands to send out spring wheat, which could not be bought in 
the occupied districts for love or money, while the difficulties of 
transport from the sea-coast to the interior rendered the arrival 
of the seed in time for sowing a matter of the utmost uncertainty. 
In addition, the desirability of attempting to commence the work 
of distribution was a question difficult to decide. The Committee, 
therefore, on January 30th, called a general meeting of the sub- 
scribers to determine whether a commencement should be made 
in view of the prospect of an early peace, and the result was that 
the first purchase of wheat was made on February 4th, and sub- 
sequent purchases as frequently as the subscription list would 
permit. 
The Committee were fortunate in obtaining, at the outset, the 
co-operation of a delegation appointed by the Committee of Corn- 
merchants on ^lark Lane, and to the disinterested co-operation 
of these gentlemen no inconsiderable share of the success of the 
operations of the Fund is fairly due. Through their agency the 
corn and other seeds were bought at exceedingly favourable prices, 
and without any charge for commission, while their quality evoked 
the admiration of the peasant-farmers in every district to which 
the consignments of the Fund were sent. 
Those who remember the demand for spring wheat on Mark 
Lane in February, March, and even in April of 1871, will 
readily understand the difficulty experienced by the executive 
officers of the Seed Fund in their endeavour, first of all to collect, 
and afterwards to despatch to France, several thousand quarters 
of that grain. The collection was made over the several lines of 
railway leading to London, all of which were more or less choked 
with merchandise intended for the relief of the population of 
Paris and the North of France. The despatch had to be con- 
ducted in the face of difficulties in the way of obtaining steamers 
to carry the grain to the French ports, and of almost insuperable 
obstacles across the channel in consequence of the lack of railway 
waggons in France, except those used by the contending forces for 
