TOWNS. 421 



dwelling. TLe larger of the two establishments, in the suburb of St. Amand, is 

 inhabited by 700 women. Candidates are only admitted if they have some private 

 means, and, as living in common is cheap, the béguines are able to sell the lace and 

 other needlework done by them at a lower rate than independent workwomen. The 

 large prison of Ghent is likewise a huge manufactory, and the working classes of 

 the city, who frequently suffer from want, have some right to complain of the 

 unfair competition to which they are subjected by these establishments. 



Ghent might have become a Belgian Manchester if it had had a Liverpool 

 nearer to it than Antwerp.* Efforts have been made, not Avithout some success, 

 to place the town in communication with the Dutch port of Terneuzen. The old 

 canal has been deepened, and a vessel of 633 tons burden has before this succeeded 

 in reaching the docks of Ghent. f The town, besides being distinguished for its 

 commerce and industry, is foremost in the cultivation of ornamental plants. It 

 deserves the epithet of " City of Flowers," for its floral shows are admirable, 

 and a walk through its flower-market or greenhouses is a source of real plea- 

 sure.* 



Large towns are numerous around Ghent and in the plains of the Schelde as far 

 as Antwerp. Ledeberg (9,100 inhabitants), to the south of Ghent, is hardly more 

 than a suburb of its great neighbour, and the «ame may be said of Mont St. Amand, 

 or Sint-Amandsberg (6,300 inhabitants), to the east. Eecloo (10,318 inhabitants), 

 on the almost imj)erceptible height of land which separates the middle course of 

 the Schelde from the sea, is a small manufacturing town. Somerghcm (5,650 inha- 

 bitants), Evcrglieni (6,050 inhabitants), and Calckcn (5,300 inhabitants) are the 

 centres of agricultural districts. Wetteren (10,415 inhabitants), on the right bank 

 of the Schelde, is known for its strong brown beer, or nitzct. Lokeren (17,400 

 inhabitants), to the north of the Schelde, and its neighbours, Zele (12,578 inha- 

 bitants) and 3Ioerbehe-lez-Lokeren (5,150 inhabitants), are important manufacturing 

 towns, with extensive bleaching grounds. Sfckene (7,050 inhabitants), near 

 the Dutch frontier, is a commercial depot between the valley of the Schelde and 

 its port of Ilulst in Zealand. Wacsmunster (5,850 inhabitants) is one of the most 

 wealthy towns of the fertile " land of Waes," the principal centre of population of 

 which is St. Nicolas (25,165 inhabitants). B^reren, in Waes (7,550 inhabitants), 

 manufactures lace. Boom (12,078 inhabitants), a town of brick-kilns, at the mouth 

 of the canal of Willebroek into the Eupel, is the half-way station on the navigable 

 highway which connects Brussels with Antwerp. Hamme (10,778 inhabitants), 

 to the south of St. Nicolas, manufactures lace and linen. Tamise, or Temsche 

 (9,700 inhabitants), on the left bank of the Schelde, here spanned by its lowest 

 bridge, is of some importance as a place of traffic. Bornheni (5,050 inhabitants) 

 lies to the south-east of it. Rupebnonde (2,800 inhabitants), as its name implies, 

 lies at the mouth of the Rupel, and has Basele (5,280 inhabitants) for its suburb. 



* In 1875 there were 480,000 spindles in cotton-mills, and 100,000 in ilax-mills, the number of 

 factory hands being 15,000. 



t In 1877 493 vessels, of 158,050 tons burden, entered the port of Ghent 



+ The capital employed by the gardeners of Ghent amounts to £3,000,000 ; they have over 400 green- 

 houses, and annually export flowers to the value of £40,000. 



