VILLAGE CRAFTSMEN.
Rural industries are going ahead with a steadiness that confutes the logical pessimists who argue that the factory system has killed the craftsmen. The success of blacksmiths —and in their degree of saddlers and wheelwrights—has been conspicuous, to my knowledge, in Hertfordshire, where both the county council and the diocesan authorities have pledged themselves to use local blacksmiths' work, where possible. The blacksmiths' work shown at a Jubilee show in Hatfield Park last week made the mouth water. It was artistic, sterling and of great variety, including gates, both of oak and iron, fences, machines, lanterns, fire and door fittings of all sorts, scrapers, wind signs and numerous tools. The men gather some of their inspiration from organized visits to Hampton Court, the Tower of London and the Albert Museum. Some small village smithies have now their customers in half a dozen counties.
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