1905.] Agricultural Credit in Belgium. 279 



low, by strict attention, methodical work, and close observation. 

 The successful squab-raiser must, of all things, be a keen 

 observer. He must be able to detect the quarrelsome birds, as 

 well as those which are sterile, unmated, lazy, poor feeders, and 

 poor breeders, for birds which belong to one or other of these 

 classes have no business in a loft which is run for profit. 



Unmated and pugnacious birds are perhaps the greatest 

 source of loss, and the remedy is to keep such birds out of the 

 breeding-lofts. The next enemy is dirt and insect pests. The 

 only remedy is cleanliness : the floors, walls and nests should be 

 kept clean, and the food and water troughs scoured. 



Rats work much havoc if they can gain admission to the house, 

 as they have a particular liking for pigeons' eggs and young 

 squabs, and I have known them to destroy as many as thirty 

 nests in a single night. Mice do not eat either the eggs or the 

 birds, but they make their nests under or beside the pigeons' 

 nests, and frighten the birds at night, with the result that the 

 nests are deserted and the eggs and young are lost. 



Much loss of eggs and young birds is also caused by un- 

 necessary disturbance, at unnecessary hours, and by the admis- 

 sion of strangers to the lofts. Disturbance should be carefully 

 guarded against, for the pigeon is a timid bird, and easily 

 frightened off its nest. It is well to have regular hours for 

 feeding, cleaning, catching the birds, and for any other work 

 which it is necessary to perform, and on no account should these 

 things be done at night. If the birds are frightened off their 

 nests at night the eggs and young birds are worthless in the 

 morning. 



H. DE COURCY. 



Agricultural credit has not been so largely resorted to in 

 Belgium as in some other European countries. Here, as in some 

 districts in France, there is a tendency for 



^CrediMn^ the sma11 cultivator to re g ard application 

 Belgium. to an agricultural bank as a confession 

 of financial weakness, which he therefore 

 endeavours to avoid. At the same time, the number of banks, 

 is, relatively to the size of the country, by no means insignificant 



