108 APPENDIX 



We find that, as in India, the sentimental desire to be a land- 

 owner, induces peasants to purchase small plots of land at 

 inflated prices. There are, however, four features of the 

 agriculture of Belgium which are different from those of 

 India : (1) the peasant has learnt, and with the assistance 

 of the State Department of Agriculture continues increasingly 

 to learn, improved methods of cultivation ; (2) the Landlords 

 are men who themselves understand agriculture and are 

 therefore reasonable and helpful in their dealings with their 

 tenants ; (3) there are many big towns and industrial centres 

 in which there is a demand for fruit and vegetables, and 

 other garden produce, and much of such produce is exported 

 to England, Poultry and dairy farming are important for the 

 same reason. (4) There are active agricultural credit societies 

 and co-operative purchasing and sales societies. 



The other chapters on agriculture deal with the methods 

 of letting land ; the common lands of Belgium ; the price 

 and rent of land ; woods and forests ; market gardening, 

 crops, live-stock ; the agricultural population ; agricultural 

 education ; and co-operative societies. In Part IV the 

 influence of means of transport, and especially the develop- 

 ment of roads and light railways, on agriculture is discussed ; 

 and the system of taxation. 



Other parts of the book deal with the standard of life, 

 and the social conditions, housing, etc., of both the agricul- 

 tural and industrial classes. The author has collected a 

 great mass of original statistics, which are set out in a clear 

 and graphic manner. The book certainly ought to be 

 studied by all those interesting themselves in the welfare 

 of rural India. It is valuable as affording examples of how 

 a country has progressed in spite of difficulties similar to 

 many of those existing in India ; and it is equally valuable 

 as suggesting many possible fruitful lines of enquiry in 

 India. 



