166 THE POSSIBILITIES 



over wide regions ; we must be satisfied with 

 noting the advance accomplished in separate, 

 especially favoured spots, where, for one cause 

 or another, the tribute levied upon the agri- 

 culturist has not been so heavy as to stop all 

 possibility of progress. 



One such example may be Been in the dis- 

 trict of Saffelare in East Flanders. Thirty 

 years ago, on a territory of 37,000 acres, all 

 taken, a population of 30,000 inhabitants, all 

 peasants, not only used to find its food, but 

 managed, moreover, to keep no less than 10,720 

 horned cattle, 3,800 sheep, 1,815 horses and 

 6,550 swine, to grow flax, and to export various 

 agricultural produce.* And during the last 

 thirty years it has continued steadily to increase 

 its exports of agricultural produce. 



Another illustration of this sort may be 

 taken from the Channel Islands, whose in- 

 habitants have happily not known the blessings 

 of Roman law and landlordism, as they still live 

 under the common law of Normandy. The 

 small island of Jersey, eight miles long and less 

 than six miles wide, still remains a land of open- 

 field culture ; but, although it comprises only 

 28,707 acres, rocks included, it nourishes a 

 population of about two inhabitants to each 



* O. de Kerchove de Denterghen, La petite Culture dee 

 Flandrcs beiges, Gand, 1878. 



