102 FARMERS' REGISTER— AGRICULTURE OF THE NETHERLANDS. 



of the greatest part of these rich provinces, look 

 its rise from the self same means, eiglit hundred or 

 a thousand years back, when they were in a man- 

 ner one continued forest. 



A Campine farm of twenty bunders is stocked 

 with two or three liorscs, seven or eight cows, 

 some oxen, and is cultivated with coleseed, clover, 

 rye, oats, and little or no wheat. It is hardly ne- 

 cessary to add, that potatoes, turnips, and carrots 

 are cultivated not only in the Campine, but 

 throughout all the Low Countries. But tlie cul- 

 ture of spergule (alfine spcrgula major) is more 

 peculiar to the north of Jirabant, though not con- 

 fined to that tract alone. It serves the cows for 

 autumn food, and the butter of this season is called 

 spergule butter, of which the Campine furnishes a 

 great quantity, especially to Brussels, where it is 

 employed for the use of the kitclien, as bein^- both 

 cheaper and more profitable than any other lor that 

 purpose. This plant is sown where corn has been 

 reaped, after the ground has been lightly ploughed. 

 Cows are tethered on it in October, and a space 

 allowed to each one proportionable to the quantity 

 of food which is proper for her. This pasture last's 

 till the frosts come on. 



As spergule gives but little straw, and conse- 

 quently little manure, the farmers supply the want 

 thereof in the following manner: — The peat or sods 

 which are cut from the heath, are placed in the 

 stables and cow-stalls as litter ibr the cattle. The 

 ground under them is dug to a certain depth, so 

 as to admit a considerable quantity of these peat 

 sods, and fresh ones are added as the feet of the 

 cattle tread them down into less compass. These 

 compose so many beds of manure, thoroughly im- 

 pregnated with the urine and dun^ of tlie cattle. 

 This litter- is renewed at proper times, and that 

 which is removed from the stables and cow-stalls 

 is laid up in heaps, till it be carried into the fields 

 where it is to be spread. This mixture produces 

 a compost of excellent quality for fertilizing ground 

 where corn is to be sown. By these means a far 

 greater quantity of manure is produced from the 

 peat, than could be had by burning- it, as is done 

 in some parts. In the Campine oi' Brabant, the 

 main object which the farmers have in view, is to 

 obtain a great quantity of manure, without which 

 all attempts to cultivate that barren soil are in 

 vain. 



Besides butter, the Campine furnishes the rest 

 of Brabant, and Brussels particularly, with great 

 quantities of fat fowl : the markets are constantly 

 supplied with them, and they are preferred to any 

 other of the same kind. They are not less sought 

 for and esteemed in South Holland. 



The parts of Brabant contiguous to the Campine. 



There are no great farms in these parts, and hard- 

 ly any such thing as tenants ; each farmer is a pro- 

 prietor ; and as he cultivates his own ground, it is 

 clear that he will do all he can to render it fertile, 

 without impoverishing it : far different in this re- 

 spect from the tenant, who only seeks his own 

 temporary interest, by forcing the soil, during his 

 lease, if he has no assurance of renewing it, indii- 

 ferent how much he may impoverish the land for 

 the future. 



There are many meadows in these districts, 

 which give regularly twocroj)s of hay, one at mid- 

 summer, the other towards the end of August. — 

 It is not observed that ficquent mo^ving impover- 



ishes those meadows whose soil is deep and fat. If 

 others of inferior soil appear spent, the custom is 

 to sow them for three succeeding years with oats, 

 and the last thereof mixing clover with the oats : 

 by this means they become excellent meadows 

 anew. 



In proportion as the ground rises from the mea- 

 dows, it diminishes in goodness, becoming at last 

 a rough brown sand, mixed with pebbles; and 

 under this is a stratum of compact clay, through 

 which water filtrates Avith difficulty. Such ground 

 as this gives small crops of rye, but it is excellent 

 for black or Turkey v/hcat {bled Sarrazin.y* 



The productions of this part of the country are, 

 wheat, rye, barley, oats, and Turkey wheat ; and 

 as food for cattle, spergule, clover, turnips and po- 

 tatoes. They cultivate also, rape, coleseed and 

 flax, chiefly lor their oils ; and also tobacco. I 

 shall add a few observations on some of these. 



The good corn land of this canton never lies fal- 

 low ; the only rest that is given it, is to let it lie a 

 year in the clover that was sown on it with the 

 corn the preceding year ; and then it returns again 

 to corn, which is produced in its former abundance. 

 It has been observed likewise, that the best crops 

 are produced when the corn is sown thin. 



Turkey wheat, made into paste, and fried with 

 fat bacon, is the ordinary food of the peasants of 

 these parts, and also of the Campine. It serves 

 tliem likewise for liUting their tbwl ; of which, 

 as we said above of the Campine, they feed great 

 quantities for the markets of the rest of Bx-abant 

 and of Holland. 



Great quantities of spergule are likewise cultivat- 

 ed in this district. It is sown immediately after the 

 corn is reaped. This plant is excellent in the lat- 

 ter season lor cows : it is wholesome, and increases 

 the quantity and the goodness of their milk ; and 

 the butter made from it is fatter, and keeps better, 

 than that made from grass in INI ay and June. — 

 Spergule serves likewise for manure, in liglit soils, 

 on account of its succulent and fat nature : bemg 

 ploughed down while it is still green, it serves as 

 a partial amendment lor sowing wheat on the 

 ground. 



Clover is sown along with rye, barley, oats, 

 wheat, and even with flax. Clover seed is a great 

 branch of commerce in this country. When they 

 do not choose to let the clover grow up for seed, 

 it is cut at least three times in a year. After the last 

 cut, the plant is ploughed under, and makes a good 

 manure; and, when a little dung is added to it, 

 wheat or rj'e are profitably sown on the ground. 



Turnips and carrots are sown indifTerently with 

 any sort of corn ; insomuch that in autumn, after 

 the coi-n is reaped, the fields appear covered with 

 them ; and it is observed, that those which grow 

 in this manner, are better than those planted in 

 gardens, and are an excellent and healthy food 

 ibr both men and cattle. 



Potatoes are here likewise of great use for both. 

 Their culture serves to amend ground newly 

 broken up, by dividing and lightening its too com- 

 pact parts, and rendering it thereby proper for 

 sowing rye on, the following year. 



Coleseed (colza) and rape require a strong soil, 

 and rather dry. Flax exhausts the ground, and is 

 detrimental to the culture of corn on it. Tobacco 

 produces a still worse effect of the same kind. 



+ Buckwheat. 



