1804. On the Agriculture of the Netherlands, 315 



render it fertile, without impoverifliinpj it : far different in this 

 refpc<£l from the tenant, who only feeks his own temporary in- 

 terelt, by forcing the foil, during his leafe, if he has no affur- 

 ance of renewing it, inditferent how much he may impoverifii 

 the land for the future. 



There are many meadows in thefe diflricls, which give regu- 

 larly two crops of hay, one at midfummer, the other towards 

 the end of Augull. It is not obfervcd that frequent mowing 

 impGverifhes thofe meadows whofe foil is deep and fat. If o- 

 thers of interior foil appear fpent, the cullom is to few them for 

 three fucceeding years with oats, and the lad thereof mixing 

 clover with the oats : by this means they become excellent mea- 

 dows anew. 



In propoitlon as the ground rifes from the meadows, it dlmi- 

 niihes in goodnefs, becoming at laft a rough brown fand, mixed 

 with pebbles; and under this is a ftratum of compact clay, 

 through which water filtrates with dilTiculty. Such ground as 

 this gives fmall crops of rye, but it is excellent for black or 

 Turkey wheat [bled Sarrazin). 



The productions of this part of the country are, wheat, rye, 

 barley, oats, and Turkey wheat ; and as food for cattle, fper- 

 gule, clover, turnips and potatoes. They cultivate alfo rape, 

 colefeed, and flax, chiefly for their oils ; and alfo tobacco. I 

 (Ivall add a few obfervations on fome of thefe. 



The good corn land of this canton never lies fallow ; the on- 

 ly reft that is given it, is to let it lye a year in the clover that 

 was fown on it with the corn the preceding year ; and then it 

 returns again to corn, which is produced in its former abun- 

 dance. It has been obferved likewife, that the bed crops are 

 produced when the corn is fown thin. 



Turkey wheat, made into pafte, and fried with fat bacon, is 

 the ordinary food of the peafants of thtfe parts, and alfo of the 

 Campine. It ferves them likewife for fatting their fowl; of 

 which, as was faid above of the Campine, they feed great quan- 

 tities for the markets of the reft of Brabant and of Holland. 



Great quantities of fpergule are likewife cultivated in this di- 

 Urict. It is fown immediately after the, corn is reaped. This 

 plant is excellent in the latter fcafon for cows : it is wholefome, 

 y.nd increafes the quantity and the goodnefs of their milk ; and 

 the butter made from it is fatter, and keeps better, than that 

 made from grafs in May and June. Spergule ferves likewife for 

 manure, in light foils, on account of its fucculent and fat na« 

 ture : being ploughed down while it is ftill green, it ferves as a 

 partial amendment for fowing wheat on the ground. 



Clover is fown along with rye, barley, oats, wheat, and even 

 with flax. Clover feed is a great branch of commerce in this 



VOL. V. NO. 19. X countrf. 



