150 Rural Economy of the Netherlands. 



have been divided into many islets if it had not been artificially 

 protected from the waves. Holland signifies in the native lan- 

 guage, holloio land, and hollow it is in fact, for when you look 

 over the country you see in all directions canals above the level 

 of the fields, and boats sailing above the heads of the cows. 

 Under such circumstances natural drainage is impossible ; to 

 get rid of the surface-water recourse is had to windmills, by 

 means of which it is pumped into the canals. Meadows occupy 

 seven-eighths of the land, and during the summer the cows 

 remain day and night in the pastures. Cheese is largely made, 

 and is called by the name of the little town of Edam, where a 

 large cheese-market is held. Hard, dry, and round, they will 

 keep for a year and more in the hottest climates, which makes 

 them particularly useful for the navy. England is a large con- 

 sumer. Bullocks are also fattened for the Amsterdam market, 

 and a good many milking cows are sold to Belgium and France. 

 The whole of the farmer's profit comes from cattle. 



M. de Laveleye gives details respecting the wealth of the 

 Dutch farmers, which would seem incredible if they were not 

 established by all kinds of evidence. The unit by which a 

 fortune is reckoned in the Low Countries is a " tonne" of gold, 

 that is about 8540/. A farm-landowner who is worth one 

 " tonne " is not esteemed rich, it is common to meet with men 

 who are worth two or three. 



M. de Laveleye gives the following account of a country wed- 

 ding which passed him in the street :- — " Forty carriages, filled 

 with the guests, went along at a smart pace. These vehicles are 

 of an antique and very pretty form ; ,they call them " chaises," 

 they are, in fact, the gigs of the eighteenth century, with the 

 bodies in the form of a shell, hung high, and covered with 

 gilding and ornament (en chicoree). They are so narrow that 

 there is hardly room for two to sit. So the young girls Avith 

 fluttering lace and ribbons, and golden frontlets glittering in the 

 sun, were squeezed close by the side of their jovial companions, 

 who, with arms stretched out, drove their strong, black, nags at a 

 great rate. In the evening the guests came to the hotel where I 

 was, to take refreshments, I asked one of these yeomen if the 

 bride Avas rich, ' Oh ! yes,' was the answer, ' not badly off, a 

 tonne and a half I dare say, but,' presenting a smart lass with 

 black eyes, ' this is my intended, who is much more comfortably 

 provided for, she will have two.' " 



These country folk are nearly all owners of the land they 

 hold, which is of such great value that seventy-five acres, well 

 stocked, represents a tonne. Most of them make investments in 

 the public funds. All have their houses furnished in luxurious 

 style, and make a great display of handsome silver plate ; since 



