Surface- Geology of Behjhim. 151 



1. The Sandy District of Northern Behjinm. — To tho travolldr 

 this region prosonts tho appoiiranco of a (load flat ; but in reality it 

 attains, at tlio extreme eastern boundary of tlio Campino, beyond 

 Hasselt, an elevation of 250 foot. With the exception of the eastern 

 Campino, however, the maximum elevation is 80 foot, from which 

 height tlio surface-lino gradually descends to the sea-lovel at the 

 coast. This otherwise perfect inclined piano is interrupted, near its 

 summit, by the wide depressions which form the valleys of the 

 Escaut and its tributaries, and which are so deep, that, although the 

 town of Ghent is only IG feet above the sea-lovel, and Termonde is 

 barely 10, tho lino of 75 foot elevation is not more than six miles 

 distant. 



This district comprises the long strip, coloured yellow on our map, 

 and therefore includes nearly the whole of Northern Belgium. It 

 is naturally and almost pure blowing sand which forms the subsoil, 

 and which is known to geologists as the " Campine sands." 



With a sandy soil, an abundance of moisture, a sheltered position, 

 and a coast- line washed by a sea warmed by the Gulf-stream, the 

 climate of Northern Belgium is naturally favourable for the practice 

 most characteristic of its agriculture, namely, the growth of two 

 crops in one year. Like the greater portion of England, ihe king- 

 dom of Belgium lies within the zone of 50° Fahr. mean annual 

 temperature ; but neither this nor the mean annual rainfall have much 

 bearing on the agriculture of the countries, for it is the distribution 

 of the moisture and the temperature which, as we shall see, really 

 influences differences in agricultural practice. The mean summer 

 temperature and summer rainfall affect the farming to a considerable 

 extent, and the mean vpinter temperature and winter rainfall have a 

 comparatively slight influence. 



2. The Loamy District of Central Belgium. — This region, coloured 

 red on the map, is that of the Hesbayan loam, which is covered by 

 a good deep soil of moderate strength, about comparable in most 

 parishes to our best turnip and barley soils, but becoming lighter 

 towards the sandy land of the district just described, and heavier 

 towards those which remain to be noticed. Speaking broadly, the 

 land is of better quality in the central and eastern portions of the 

 district than in the western. Its surface is pleasantly diversified in 

 the west, where it is studded with isolated eminences (see map), the 

 hills attaining a height of between 400 and 500 feet, and becomes 

 simplified in the east, where it forms broad and flat undulations, 

 which are a rolling, continuation of the " inclined plane" of Northern 

 Belgium, and rise to a height of nearly 600 feet on the verge of the 

 Mouse valley. 



3. The Polders and Biver Valleys. — The soil of this division (ruled 

 blue on the map) consists of what is usually termed alluvium, 

 namely, an argillaceous soil, containing a varying proportion of 

 sand and a little lime. Generally it is extremely fertile, especially 

 when first reclaimed. The term " Polders" is properly applied to 

 alluvial flats, reclaimed from the sea or the mouth of rivers, and pro- 

 tected by dykes against high tides, floods, and storms. The whole 



