17 



This is due in the first place to the depreciation in the 

 price of cereals, and to the increasing attention given to 

 cattle breeding in Belgium. 



* 

 * * 



In 1896 the crops mentioned in the annual census 

 covered an area of 1,818,156 hectares. 



The annual statistics for 1902, not taking into conside- 

 ration holdings of less than one hectare, give a cultivated 

 area of 1,736,174 hectares. 



Thus the area occupied by the farms of less than 

 i hectare is very unimportant. 



As to farms of i hectare and above, they were distri- 

 buted as follows in 1902 : 



This table shows the extreme subdivision of Belgian 

 agricultural land : this is still more visible in examining 

 separately certain provinces. 



