qi2 On the Agriculture of the Netherlands. Aug. 



vinces, for reflraining the extent of farms, and prefcribing a di- 

 vifion of thof of too great extent ; alfo forbidding the deftruc- 

 tion of farm houfes without rebuilding them. 



The ordinances for bringing corn to be fold at market, are ge- 

 nerally eluded : tlie corn is bought at the farmer's \ he brings it to 

 market, expofes it, and his firft anfwer is, that it is fold. This 

 is often the caufe of murmurs among the people ; but I know of 

 no remedy found for it, except the prohibition of all exportation, 

 which takes place as foon as a real fcarcity is felt ; and this in its 

 turn excites the mur^uirs of the farmers, who have feldom any 

 other view than their private interelt, and who, always having 

 corn enough for their own ule, never fee a fcarcity in the coun- 

 try. 



As to the methods of agriculture, or the nature of crops, the 

 rovernment of the Low Countries takes no cognizance of them, 

 but leaves every owt to do what he thinks befb ; and certainly pri- 

 vate intereil and the love of gain are the bell ftimulants on this 

 head, and feldom fail to eiicite each one to cultivate his grouncf 

 in the manner, and with the produ6tions, which he finds moft 

 profitable. Experience thereon is his only rule and guide. 



The moft univerfal land-meafure in the Low Countries is the 

 hinder or bonier. In Brabant and Hainault it contains 400 

 fquare perches or roods of 20 feet long \ fo that the fquare rood 

 contains 400 fquare feet, and the bunder 160,000. The rood va- 

 ries in different parts, as does alfo the foot, which in general is 

 lefs than the Englifli one. On an average the bunder may be 

 reckoned three Englifh acres. In Flanders, land is ufually mea- 

 fured by what is called a ghemct, a meafure containing three 

 hundred fquare roods ; the rood being in fome places twelve, in 

 others fifteen, Flemifh feet long : but, in fome parts of this pro- 

 vince, a bunder or bonier is in ufe, containing 400 fquare roods, 

 as in Brabant and Hainault ; but the Tood varies in different can- 

 tons, from ten to twenty feet in length. The bonier contains 

 four journals of land. 



In the reft of this effay, I fliall treat briefly of the methods of 

 agriculture in different parts of Flanders, Brabant, and Hainault, 

 diilinguifiiing them according to tlie different nature of the foil, 

 and confining, myfelf to fuch pracllces as are generally eftabliftied 

 in each. As the difference of climate is infenfible within thefe 

 limits, I iliall prefer the order v/hich refults from the foil, to that 

 of locality, as the pradices of hufbandry, in an extent of flat 

 country not exceeding one hundr :d miles any way, are determinefil. 

 in a great meafure by the foil alone. 



The different foils I fliall fpeak of are the following : 



1. The fandy heath of the Campine of Brabant. 



1, The parts of Brabant contiguous to the Campine. 



