CHAPTER VI 

 BELGIUM 



IT was not until about the year 1890 that 

 Belgium began to seriously bestir herself 

 with the view of effecting the improvement, 

 or, rather, the reconstruction, of her agricultural 

 position. Yet the claim is made for her that, 

 relatively to her size, more associations have 

 been established in Belgium in the interests of 

 agriculture than in any other country in Europe ; 

 while, as regards accomplished results, one 

 authority on the subject, M. Louis Varlez, 

 says : — 



The movement has hardly yet been outlined, and 

 already the agrarian crisis has moderated — in some parts 

 of the country it has already come to an end. We are 

 taking part in a real awakening (un vrai revell) of agri- 

 culture. What will it be like when the movement has 

 developed its full proportions — when it shall have spread 

 throughout the entire country ? 



There were, it is true, agricultural associations 

 in Belgium prior to 1890, and notably those that 



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