56 STATE IIORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



again, and ready to enter into the active and vigorous work of life. This suc- 

 cessful practice of the physician is a golden rule of a practical agriculturist. 

 By a system identical the poorest soils by his hand are restored and made 

 exceedingly productive. Every spear of grass or weed that grows on the soil 

 stimulates and enriches the ground, prciiaring it for crops of greater utility. 

 lu the densely populated countries of Europe this of necessity has been prac- 

 ticed to the liigiicst degree, and the thorough cultivation of the soil has takeu 

 deep root in the heart of every husbandman. 



Perhaps I can entertain you for a moment by giving an outline of tlic indus- 

 trious habits of the Belgians. Though far behind the average English farmer 

 in knowledge and intelligence, yet they surpass him in their frugality and 

 practical knowledge in agriculture. 



The soil was originally the poorest in all Europe. Many of the large 

 provinces that once were great sand i)lains are now, as far as the eye can see, a 

 perfect field of vegetation, all of which is tiie result of an indefatigable care 

 and labor bestowed upon the cultivation of the soil, for in its natural condi- 

 tion it consisted wholly of barrens, and its present degree of fertility is entirely 

 owing to the skillful management and judicious application of various ma- 

 nures. It seems as though the Flemish farmer iieeded nothing but a space of 

 ground to work upon ; wliatcver be the quality or texture of the soil, in time 

 he will make it produce a good crop. Tliese white samls are like tlie drifting 

 sands of our seashore. Nothing can be more interesting than to follow step 

 by step the progress of improvement. Here you sec a cottage ami cow shed built 

 on the most unpromising spot on earth. Tlie white sand blown into mounds 

 is only kept together by tiie roots of a few scanty shrubs. At first a small 

 spot is leveled and surrounded by a ditch that a part is sown to broom, some 

 of it planted with potatoes, and perhaps a small patch of diminutive clover 

 may show itself. Manures, botli liquid and solid, are collected, and this forms 

 the nucleus in a few years to become a little farm. If they have no manure 

 the only thing that can be sown at first on the pure white sand is broom ; this 

 will grow on the most barren soils. In tliree years this can be taken off and 

 sold to the baker or brickmaker for fuel. In this way a little money is 

 realized from the first crop, and usually it is expended in [lurchasing manure 

 to be i)ut back on the laud. Yet this is not the only profit. The leaves that 

 have fallen, and the roots and fibres have enriched and rendered the soil more 

 compact, so that the blowing winds do not drift it as much as before. It can 

 now be plowed and sown to buckwheat, or even rye, at this stage, without any 

 manure. 



After these crops are harvested a regular course of cropping begins. As 

 soon as suflicient crops can be raised to keep a cow then the improvement goes 

 on very rapidly. In a few years the soil has undergorio a very remarkable 

 change. Instead of the shifting sands we have a mellow and retentive soil, 

 which will hold moisture sufficient for the nourishment of the plant. Thus 

 having been enriched by the decomposition of the roots and leaves it may now 

 be sown to clover. This miserable, poor land has been reclaimed, and now no 

 one could tell the difference between the productiveness of these soils that 

 were in a state of nature worth nothing, and those which were originally good. 

 All this has been accomplished by the untiring hand of the laborer. To me 

 this is positive proof that all our sandy lands which are, comparatively speak- 

 ing, good compared with those of Belgium — yea, all lands that we see can be 

 made into gootl farms. All tiiat is needed is })atient and judicious manage- 

 ment. To a stranger while on an excursion, Michigan may not have any dis- 



