*2i On the Agriculture of the Netherlands, Aug. 



The Pays de JFaes. 



The land of Waes is the dlflrict lying on the north fide of 

 the Scheldt, between Ghent and Antwerp ; it is a perfect flat, 

 and is reckoned the richeft part of Flanders. The original foil 

 was pure fand, and its prefcnt ftate of fertility, is owing to the 

 great number of its induftrious inhabitants, who cultivate a fe>A 

 acres round their dwellings, of which, for the moii part, they 

 are proprietors. The natural meadows are rich, and the great 

 number of cows which the inhabitants keep, furnifh manure in 

 great abundance : But they are not content wirh this alone ; 

 great quantities of turf-aflies are brouglit thither from Holland, 

 as alfo a great part of the ftrc-n-dirt and dung from Bruilels, 

 Antwerp, and Ghent, befides what is had from the many rich 

 and populous towns and villages, with which this diflricl is co- 

 vered. 



The farms being fo very fmall, few hovfes are kept in the 

 IriT.d of Waes ; the ground is chiefly worked with the fpade and 

 hot, which the extreme lightnefs of the foil renders eafy. If a 

 plough be ufed, it is of the mod ^.mple kind, without wheels, 

 and drawn by one horfe. All tnefe contribute together to give 

 a richnefs and fertility to the foil of this tra61, which furpafTes, 

 almoft what can be imagined. No fpot lies uncujtivated. 



The common method of culture is as follows ; a bunder of 

 land is manured, once in feven years, with from forty to fifty 

 cart loads of dung, and town dirt. The firft; year it is fown 

 with htmp ; the fecond with flax ; the third with wheat ; the 

 fourth and fifth with rye ; the fixth with oats *, and the feventh 

 with clover, Turkey wheat, turnips, or carrots. Fallow ground 

 is unknown here. 



bpergule is fometimes fown about mid Augufl, on land that 

 has borne wheat ; and in Qclober the cows are put into it. The 

 fpergule which they cultivate for feed is fown in March, and 

 leaped in June. 



It is to be obferved, that the riches of the 1 ind of Waes con- 

 fift chiefly in the culture of flax and hemp ; the other crops be- 

 ing in general for their own ufe, and for home confumption, 

 which indeed is very ccnfiderable, on account of the great popu- 

 lation of this diftrldl. The produce of their flax and iiemp is fo 

 confiderable, that in a good year they arc reckoned to amount 

 almoft to the value of the ground. 



The agriculture of the land of Waes, pafl^cs, indlfputably, for 

 the moft complete and perfed in all the Netherlands,. 



',0^ 



