Agriculture in Holland. 



373 



A somewhat novel and interesting form of co-operation, 

 mentioned as existing in South Holland, is the co-operative 

 mart which has been established by an association of market 

 gardeners and fruit growers, known as the Westland Society. 

 By an arrangement with the society the inn-keeper of each 

 of the seven villages in the district has provided an auction- 

 room for the daily sale of market garden produce, and all the 

 produce which is not sold privately is brought daily 

 to the auction-room, and sold to buyers who attend the 

 sales from Rotterdam, the Hague, and other large towns. 

 That these marts have proved of great benefit is stated to be 

 shown by the rapid extension of the gardens and the increase 

 in glass-houses since the society came into existence and the 

 marts were opened. 



Wages in the purely agricultural districts visited were 

 under, rather than over, those paid in Essex, and the hours of 

 labour longer ; but there was, it is stated, an appearance of 

 contentment among the people, and no signs of pauperism 

 were to be seen. The lowest customary wage was is. 8d. a 

 day of 10 to 12 hours, which is stated to be from 30 to 40 per 

 cent, below the rates current in Essex ; but on one of the 

 farms visited the labourers got a cottage rent free, and in 

 North Holland certain meals are provided. It must also be 

 mentioned that the women work in the fields along with the 

 men, so that the earnings of a family may be considerable. 

 The labouring classes lead frugal lives, and in the poorer 

 districts rye bread is the staple food and tea the favourite 

 beverage. It was found that the labour bill on many farms 

 reached the high figure of £2 10s. per acre per annum, and 

 it is thus evident that though individual wages may be low, 

 the total amount expended on labour is high. 



Agricultural Holdings in Belgium. 



The Belgian Agricultural Inquiry of 1895 contains, in Volume 

 III., tables relating to the number of holdings classified 

 according to size and system of tenure. The total number 



