Farms in New France and the General Hospital (18th-19th Centuries)
As with most religious congregations in New France, the Grey Nuns of Montréal have a vegetable garden on the premises of the General Hospital, part of a compound that includes several outbuildings located on the Pointe à Callière. Its cultivation ensures a supply of fresh produce for the Nuns, patients and residents of the General Hospital. The garden is maintained by the Nuns who also harvest, prepare and cook the harvest in their kitchen. At that time, a ‘general’ hospital is an institution that takes care of the most deprived in society (poors, orphans, elderlies, infirms), offering them accommodation and food.
Plan of the General Hospital/Montgolfier, p.s.s., 1758. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, General Hospital’s Fonds, L001-01
The Charon Brothers' Properties
The Frères hospitaliers de la Croix et de Saint-Joseph, commonly known as the Charon Brothers, establish the Montréal General Hospital in 1692. They also own arable land in nearby the Pointe Saint-Charles and in the south-shore village of Chambly, which they attempt to cultivate with little success. These farms produce different cereals such as wheat, barley, oats, and buckwheat as well as vegetables such as cabbage and turnips.
Within the Pointe à Callière compound, the Charon Brothers undertake certain agricultural initiatives in order to generate income though with limited success: a windmill to grind grain, a beer brewery, a distillery for vinegar and an orchard to produce cider. Although located outside the fortifications, the General Hospital is very close to the city and its markets for buying and selling produce.
Map of Pointe à Callières (1688-1747)/Sister Saint-Jean-de-la-Croix, s.g.m., circa 1907. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, General Administration’s Fonds, G02-A-2-08-planche 3
Map of Pointe-à-Callières (1692-1747)/Sister Saint-Jean-de-la-Croix, s.g.m., circa 1907. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, General Administration’s Fonds, G02-A-2-08-planche 5
Revenue and expenses (extract), May 1725. Manuscript. Grey Nuns of Montréal’s Archives, Charon Brothers’ Fonds, B-2-A-1