434 REPORT OF OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 



commercial concentrated foodstuffs is now nsed in the feeding of live 

 stock, especially beef and dairy cattle, whereas 25 years ago practi- 

 cally none was utilized. This has enabled the handling of more live 

 stock and at the same time reduced the cost. 



The supervisors have been the cause of the creation of a large num- 

 ber of cooperative dairies, all of which are prosperous, and they cre- 

 ated in 1899 a dairy school for young men at Betecom, which was 

 afterwards moved to Oplinter and which has exerted a great influence 

 in building up the dairy industry in the Province of Brabant and 

 also in neighboring Provinces. 



Aviculture has made the greatest development in the cantons of 

 Aerschot, Haecht, and "Wolverthem, where it constitutes the prin- 

 cipal industry of the smaller farm products. A school of avicul- 

 ture has now been established in Ix)nderzell. 



Whereas 25 years ago most cultivators had a mortgage on their 

 farms, to-day these have been largely removed or greatly reduced. 

 Their houses likewise have been improved in every possible respect, 

 and their food has undergone a marked change. Wheat bread has 

 now taken the place of the former rye bread, and where in former 

 years meat was eaten rarelj^ oftener than once a week, it now consti- 

 tutes a daily diet. Eural people also dress better than formerly, but 

 are unfortunately abandoning their characteristic peasant costume 

 and adopting that of the townfolk. 



Since 1885 farming has become more and more intensive, and 

 oats, flax, and beets have acquired considerable importance, while in 

 the northern part of the Province of Brabant the cultivation of early 

 potatoes, peas, and asparagus has become very lucrative. In the 

 environs of Brussels the production of " wiltloof " is a great indies' 

 try. So also are strawberries, and about Hoeylaert the forcing of 

 grapes under glass is a notable occupation. 



The courses in general agriculture and in special agricultural sub- 

 jects, agricultural conferences, the distribution of agricultural litera- 

 ture, the organization of agricultural libraries, and the instruction 

 in agriculture in the primary schools have all played their part in 

 the improvement of agriculture, but the most important means con- 

 tributing to this fortunate change are the personal, oral consulta- 

 tions and visits to the individual farmers by the extension supervisors 

 and the demonstrations carried on by them in numerous fields 

 throughout the Province. 



PROVINCE OF WEST FLANDERS. 



As in other Provinces of Belgium, the value of farm land in West 

 Flanders has greatly increased during the past 25 years. In 1885 it 

 was not over $243 per acre, while in 1910 it was from $365 to $405. 

 The production of all farm products has likewise increased from 30 



