CHEMICO-AGRICULTURAL TOUR. 151 



available for grazing cattle, and gave the fields a remarkably neat 

 and well-trimmed appearance. The entire absence of fences, too, 

 cannot fail to be remarked, which are replaced by broad ditches or 

 large open drains, that not only serve the purpose of fences in 

 dividing different holdings, and preventing trespass, but likewise 

 assist in the drainage of the wetter portions of ground, by furnish^, 

 ing channels for conveying away the water of the smaller drains, 

 and affording a convenient supply of water for irrigation and other 

 useful purposes. 



I shall now offer a few remarks on what appear to be some of 

 the more characteristic features of Flemish agriculture. The first, 

 and perhaps the most striking, of these, is the great attention that 

 is paid to the collection and preservation of a number of substances 

 which are used as manures (many of which are suffered to go to 

 waste with us), and their very liberal application of them to the 

 soil, particularly in the liquid condition. I have not space here to 

 enumerate the great variety of substances that are employed in 

 Flanders as manurial agents, but will only briefly describe how 

 they collect, prepare and apply their liquid manure [engrais liquide), 

 which constitutes the chief and most important manure employed 

 by the Flemish agriculturist. The term "engrais liquide" does 

 not merely signify the liquid mani^e obtained by collecting the 

 fluid excrements of the animals of the farm-yard, but it embraces 

 also a liquid manure which is manufactured from various sub- 

 stances at considerable trouble and expense. The substances that 

 are chiefly employed for this purpose are night-soil and rapeseed- 

 cake, which are not only used together with different refuse sub- 

 stances to manufacture liquid manure, but are also frequently added 

 to that obtained from the farm-yard to increase its amount, where 

 of itself it would be insufficient for the wants of the farmer. 



For the purpose of collecting and preparing liquid manure, which 

 is so universally employed in Flanders, a manure-tank forms an. 

 essential part in the construction of every farm-yard, whether the 

 ground connected with it be the small plot of the humblest agri- 

 culturist, or the extensive farm of the rich landed proprietor ; and 

 this system of having manure-tanks has, in a great measure, arisen 

 from the necessity of having such convenient receptacles for the 

 droppings of the cattle, which are much more housed in that coun- 

 try than with us all the year round. , 



This tank, which is usually constructed of brick, and has its bot- 



