HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. 



PartL 



Sect. IV. Of the present State of Agriculture in Holland and the Netherlands. 



424. The agriculture of the Low Countries, and especially of Flanders, has been celebrated 

 by the rest of Europe for upwards of 600 years j that of Holland for its pasturage, and 

 that of the Netherlands for tillage. We shall notice a part of the agricultural circum- 

 stances of the two countries. 



SuBSECT. 1. Of the present State of Agriculture in Holland. 



425. The climate of Holland is cold and moist. The surface of the country towards 

 the sea is low and marshy, and that of the interior sandy and naturally barren. A 

 considerable part of Holland, indeed the chief part of the seven provinces comprising the 

 country, is lower than the sea, and is secured from inundation by immense embankments ; 

 while the internal water is delivered over these banks into the canals and drains leading 

 to the sea, by mills, commonly impelled by wind. In the province of Guelderland and 

 other internal parts, the waste grounds are extensive ; being overrun with broom and 

 heath, and the soil a black sand. The marshes, morasses, and heatlis, which are 

 characteristic of the different provinces, are, however, intermixed with cities, towns, 

 villages, groves, gardens, and meadows, to a degree only equalled in England. There 

 are no hills, but only gentle elevations, and no extensive woods ; but almost every 

 where an intimate combination of land, water, and buildings. The soil in the low 

 districts is a rich, deep, sandy mud ; sometimes alluvial, but more frequently siliceous, 

 and mixed with rotten shells. In a few places there are beds of decayed trees ; 

 but no where rough gravel or rocks. The soil of the inland provinces is in general 

 a brown or black sand, naturally poor, and, wherever it is productive, indebted entirely 

 to art. 



426. The landed property of Holland is in moderate or rather small divisions j and, in the 

 richer parts, generally in farms of from twenty to one hundred and fifty or two hundred 

 acres, often farmed by the proprietor. In the interior provinces, both estates and farms 

 are much larger ; and instances occur of farms of five hundred or seven hundred acres, 

 partly in tillage, and partly in wood and pasture. 



427. The agriculture of Holland is almost entirely confined to a system of pasturage 

 and dairy management, for the production of butter and cheese ; the latter well known 

 in every part of the world. Almost the only objects of tillage are some madder, 

 tobacco, and herbage plants and roots for stall-feeding the cattle. The pastures, and 

 especially the lower meadows, produce a coarse grass, but in great abundance. The 

 cows are allowed to graze at least a part of the day throughout the greater part of 

 the year, but are generally fed in sheds, once a day or oftener, with rape cake, grains, 

 and a' great variety of other preparations. Their manure is preserved with the 

 greatest care, and the animals themselves are kept perfectly clean. The breed is 

 large, small-legged, generally red and white, with long slender horns ; they are 

 very well known in England as the Dutch breed. The fuel used in Amsterdam 

 and most of the towns is peat, and the ashes are collected and sold at high prices, 

 chiefly to the Flemings, but also to other nations. A considerable quantity has been 

 imported to England ; they are found excellent as a top dressing for clovers and other 

 green crops, and are strongly recommended by Sir John Sinclair and other writers- 

 Other particulars of Dutch culture and economy correspond with the practice of the 

 Netherlands. 



428. The field implements, buildings, and operations of Holland, are more ingeniously 

 contrived and better executed than those of any other country on the Continent. The 

 best plough in the world (the Scotch) is an improvement on the Rotheram or Dutch 

 implement. The farmeries, and especially the cow-houses and stables, are remarkable 

 for arrangements which facilitate and economise manual labour, and insure comfort to the 

 animals and general cleanliness. Even 

 the fences and gates are generally found 

 in a better state than in most other 

 countries. They have a simple field 

 gate (fig. 53.) constructed with few rails, 

 and balanced so as it may be opened 

 and shut without straining the posts 

 or hinges, which deserves imitation. ^j^^TZ^-'^^ 

 Their bridges, foot-planks, and other 

 mechanical agents of culture, are in general indicative of more art and invention ihan is 

 usual in Continental agriculture. 



