Book I. 



AGRICULTURE IN HOLLAND. 



75 



Four elevations (^/f. 61. a, b, c, d,) represent the four internal sides of the quadrangle. 



61 r. 



434. L'rme cisterns are formed in the fields, to receive purchased liquid manure ; but for that made in 

 the farm-yard, generally in the yard, or under the stables. In the latter case, the urine is conducted from 

 each stall to a common grating, through which it descends into the vault ; from thence it is taken up by 

 a pump : in the best regulated farmeries there is a partition in the cistern, with a valve to admit the con- 

 tents of the first space into the second, to be preserved there free from the more recent acquisition, age 

 adding considerably to its eflScacy. This species of manure is relied on beyond any other, upon all the 

 light soils throughout Flanders, and even upon the strong lands (originally so rich as to preclude the ne- 

 cessity of manure), is now coming into great esteem, being considered applicable to most crops, and to all 

 the varieties of soil. 



435. The arable lands of Flanders include by far the greater part of the surface of the 

 country. The crops raised are the same as those in Britain; but from local circumstances 

 flax, hemp, chiccory, rape, spurry, madder, woad, tobacco, and some others enter more 

 generally into rotations. ' 



436. Fallows, according to Sir John Sinclair, are in a great measure abolished, even on strong land ; by 

 means of which, produce is encreased, and the expense of cultivation, on the crops raised in the course of 

 a rotation, necessarily diminished ; and by the great profit they derive from their flax and rape, or colsat, 

 they can afford to sell all their crops of grain at a lower rate. Notwithstanding this assertion of Sir John, 

 it will be found that a fallow enters into the rotation on all the clayey soils of Flanders. 



437. In regard to soil and culture, RadclifF arranges Flanders into eleven agricultural 

 divisions, and we shall notice the oil and rotations, and some other features of culture, in 

 the first six of these divisions. 



438. Thejirst division extends along the north sea, and includes Ostend. This dis- 

 trict consists of the strongest and heaviest soil which Flanders possesses, and a similarity 

 of quality prevails generally throughout, with some occasional exceptions. It may be re- 

 presented as a clay loam of a greyish colour, and yields the various produce to be expected 

 from a strong soil ; rich pasture, wheat, beans, barley, and rape, considered as pri- 

 mary crops ; and as secondary (or such as are not so generally cultivated), oats, carrots, 

 potatoes, flax, and tares. In this division, however, though the nature of the soil may be 

 stated under the general description of a clay loam, yet there are of this three degrees of 

 quality, not to be marked by regular limits, but to be found throughout the whole, in 

 distinct situations. It becomes the more necessary to remark this, as the succession of 

 crops depends on the quality of the soil ; and as there are here three different degrees 

 of quality, so are there three different systems of rotation. 



439. Upon thejirst quality of soil, the succession is as follows : first year, barley ; 

 second, beans ; third, wheat ; fourth, oats; fifth, fallow. For the second quality of soil, 

 the succession is as follows . first year, wheat ; second, beans or tares ; third, wheat or 

 oats ; fourth, fallow. For the third quality of soil, the succession is as follows : first 

 year, wheat ; second, fallow ; third, wheat ; fourth, fallow. Besides these three qualities 

 of strong soil, another of still superior fertility prevails in this district in considerable ex- 

 tent, known by the denomination of Polders. 



440. The polders, or embanked lands of Flanders, are certain areas of land reclaimed 

 from the sea by embankment, whose surface, once secured from the influx of the tide, 

 becomes the most productive soil," without requiring the assistance of any description of 

 manure. They owe their origin partly to the collection of sand in the small branches of 

 rivers, gradually increasing, so as naturally to embank a portion of land, and convert it 

 into an arable and fertile soil. They also have proceeded from the contraction of the 

 river itself, which, by the effect of the tides, is diminished in one place, wiiilst an alluvial 

 soil is formed in another by its overflow. Hence it is, that within a century, entire 

 polders in certain situations have been inundated, whilst, in others, new and fertile land 

 has appeared, as if from the bosom of the water. These operations of nature pointed out 

 facilities many centuries back, which excited the industry of the low countries, and has 

 been rewarded by the acquisition of their richest soil. Tlicse newly formed lands, before 



