AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION IN BELGIUM. 435 



to 50 per cent above ^A'hat they were 25 years ago. Tliis increase in 

 production arises principally from the improvement of farms, due 

 to more intensive culture, better fertilization, seed selection, and the 

 more general use of improved machinery. The total money value 

 of farm crops in the year 1885 was $30,130,400, while in 1908 it was 

 $43,425,000, an increase of $13,2<)4,400. 



Fruit orchards have slightly decreased in area while vegetable 

 gardening has greatly increased, especially in the vicinity of large 

 villages and cities and in the neighborhood of canning factories. By 

 leason of its proximity to England, and the easy and rapid means of 

 communication, vegetable gardening and arboriculture have attained 

 considerable importance in a large part of the Province. 



In 1885 practicall}' no chemical fertilizers were used, while to-day 

 great quantities are purchased. In 1907 there was used in this 

 Province 144,219 tons of chemical fertilizer. 



The character of live stock on farms has greatly improved, and 

 their number and individual values have also considerably increased. 

 The increase in money value of live stock since 1885 is given at 

 $12,742,400. The feeding of live stock has also undergone a change 

 during this period, resulting in a more rational system with the use 

 of concentrated commercial food to increase production and lessen 

 its cost. Vast quantities of concentrated commercial feeding stuffs 

 are now purchased especially for dairy and beef cattle, 220,678 tons 

 having been consumed in 1907. 



The daily interests have developed and improved in every respect. 

 More dairy cattle are being kept, they are of a better class than 

 formerly, they are fed more intensively and rationally, are housed 

 under better sanitary condition, and the milk is likew^ise properly 

 cared for. The manufacture of butter is now done by the use of the 

 latest improved machineiy, and under perfectly clean and sanitary 

 conditions. The 131,031 dairy coavs in the Province in 1907 averaged 

 242 pounds of butter per year each. The first cooperative dairy in 

 the Province was established in 1889, while to-day there are 25, and 

 they are being added to each year, sometimes by the conversion of 

 other dairies into cooperative ones. 



The raising of poultry has become an important industry in certain 

 sections of the Province. By selection and more rational feeding, a 

 more profitable and a better class of fowls is now general. The 

 number of fowls in the Province has almost doubled during the last 

 quarter of a century. 



As a result of the general dissemination of modern, scientific agri- 

 cultural knowledge, farmers are abandoning their old methods of 

 procedure and adopting rational, scientific methods, with the result 

 that they are making much more money than formerly and are rapidly 

 getting out of debt and accumulating a surplus, while at the same 



