THE SOIL; AND SIZE OF FARMS. 513 



toil ; and even an inferior implement, with a thinking and direct 

 ing mind at the end of it, may be more efficient than many a 

 more complicated or better contrived machine, which is expected 

 almost to make its own way. 



CXXXV. THE SOIL; AND SIZE OF FARMS. 



The soils of Flanders are generally inferior ; but they illus 

 trate the Latin proverb, that persevering labor overcomes all 

 difficulties. In many instances, the farmers plant themselves 

 upon an almost hopeless blowing sand, which would seem to 

 defy all vegetation. They will begin by planting oats, or rye, 

 and broom ; the oats or rye are used for forage, and so are t he- 

 tops of the broom, which remains in the ground three years, 

 and is then ploughed in to form and enrich the soil ; arid when 

 by degrees they can advance so far as to grow turnips or clover, 

 so as to feed a cow, the way of success is open. In such case, 

 all manure, solid and liquid of every kind, is saved with care, and 

 the whole redoubles itself; and after a time is witnessed the 

 conversion of this arid sand into a productive soil. 



The size of farms in Flanders is small, in many cases not 

 exceeding fifty acres; often less than this, and not more than 

 six or seven acres. The amount produced, upon even the 

 smallest holdings, is remarkable, and presents an advantageous, 

 and often an instructive contrast with the product of large farms. 



CXXXVL THE CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL, TRENCH 

 ING, PLOUGHING, MANURING. 



1. The first characteristic of Flemish husbandry is their deep 

 cultivation. In some cases this is done by the spade, in others 

 by the plough, and sometimes conjointly by the plough and 

 spade. The land is gradually trenched to the depth of twenty 



