51 



different soils yield different products : on. the Polder clay, 

 the principal crop is barley; on the sands of Flanders, 

 rye; 011 the loam of Hesbay wheat; in Condroz spelt is 

 grown, and in the Ardennes oats. 



There is not more uniformity in the mode of tenure : in 

 one part of the country the farmers own their own land, in 

 other parts the land is rented by farmers; in some parts 

 there are farms of 5o to i5o hectares and above; in 

 others farming is done on small holdings, the whole work 

 being accomplished by the farmer and his family : this 

 last method of farming is particularly noticeable in Flan- 

 ders. Attached to his little bit of land and work, the 

 Flemish farmer has succeeded in changing the unproduc- 

 tive sand of Flanders into one of the richest soils of 

 Europe in the variety aud exelfence of its products. 

 His holding extends only to two or three hectares, great 

 quantities of manure are applied, and with the aid of his 

 family, he cultivates his land as though it were a garden. 



A rapid glance may now be directed to the main features 

 of Flemish farming : 



i* The variety of crops. The most varied crops are 

 grown in succession according to fixed rules. These 

 include cereals : wheat, meslin, rye, barley, and oats; 

 industrial plants : hemp, flax, rape, tobacco, hops, 

 and chicory; root plants : mangels, carrots, turnips and 

 potatoes; and fodder plants : clover, lucern, ray grass, 

 maize, etc. 



Flanders possesses also fertile pasture grounds on which 

 splendid cattle are fed and fattened. 



2 The rotations. The rotation of the crops mentioned 

 above is very varied in the districts where industrial 

 plants are grown. 



The following rotation is very often adopted : 



First year : wheat; 



Second year : rye followed by turnips ; 

 Third year : potatoes or flax followed by carrots, beets 

 or chicory; 



Fourth year : barley or meslin followed by turnips ; 

 Fifth year : oats ; 

 Sixth year : clover. 



