Even when he knows only rude frontier life the French Canadian often retains something of the politeness and deference in manner of the nation from which he springs.  But, unlike them, he has retained little sense of what is artistic.  No thought of beauty of situation seems to determine his choice of the site for his dwelling.  What he has in mind is protection from the prevailing wind, if this is possible, and, for the rest, convenience.  So he puts his house close to the highway, in many cases even abutting upon it.  He shows no taste in grouping his farm buildings.  He plants few trees and his house stands bare and unattractive by the road side.  The absence of trees near his dwelling is sometimes accounted for by the need, in earlier times, of clearing away everything that might offer a chance of ambush to his Indian enemies.  If this is the true origin of the habit, an instinct survives long after the need which developed it has disappeared.  The houses are persistent in type and nearly always of wood.  The principle doorway opens into the living room, usually of a good size.  It is kitchen, diningroom, parlour, often even workshop.  In this chamber cooking, sewing, repairing of tools, all the varied family activities, take place.  One large guest chamber or two small bedrooms open off it.  In the corner there is a rude staircase and up under the sloping roof are two more rooms; one a bed-room probably with three or four beds, the other a general lumber room.  Often there are two families in a household.  As always with the French, family feeling is very strong.  As soon as they are old enough the elder sons may go out into the world; it is usually a younger son whom the father selects to remain with him on the family property.  This son is free to marry and to him, when the old father dies, the land goes on condition that he will always keep the door open to members of the family who may seek its refuge.  It is not easy to see how so small a cottage can discharge these hospitable functions; in addition to adults there are often, in a French Canadian family, from ten to fifteen, sometimes twenty or twenty-five children.  Through the long winters, doors and windows remain closed.  The family gets on without fresh air and it gets on also without baths.

Since there are often many hands to do the work habitant farming is greatly diversified.  But improvements come only slowly.  Some of the most fertile areas in Quebec have been half ruined because the habitant would not learn the proper rotation of crops.  Of the value of fertilizing he has had only a slight idea.  His domestic animals are usually of an inferior breed, except perhaps the horses.  Of these he is proud and, no matter how poor, usually keeps two, an extravagance for which he was rebuked by successive Intendants under the French regime.  In recent times the French Canadian farmer has been making great progress.  He is pre-eminently a handy man.  Though his versatility is lessening,