5io 



Farm Wages in Belgium. 



by the lack of education, and by the old-fashioned methods of 

 agriculture. Technical and professional instruction are 

 almost entirely wanting among the agricultural classes, very 

 few of whom can even read or write, and the time and labour- 

 saving methods of cultivation that have been adopted else- 

 where are not in general use. Although means of transport 

 have enormously increased and markets for Portuguese pro- 

 duce exist all over the world, agriculture has not kept pace 

 with the times, and these facilities are not employed to the 

 utmost. Capital, too, is expensive and difficult to procure, 

 and mortgages already hang heavily on landed property. 



Agricultural interests would, however, in Mr. Harrison's 

 opinion, be furthered in Portugal if the costs of production 

 could be reduced, a proceeding which does not appear to 

 be compatible with the system of protection now considered 

 necessary to encourage the newly-developed national indus- 

 tries. Since the removal of the customs duties with Spain, 

 for instance, cattle-breeding has increased enormously, and 

 it is now an important and remunerative industry, which is 

 still open to great development in all its branches. Wine is 

 produced in extraordinary quantities, and fruit and vegetables 

 could be grown in abundance if the importation ofmachin jry 

 were encouraged, and its use taught to the Portuguese 

 labourers. It is believed, therefore, that with increased 

 opportunities for education and a more general employment 

 of machinery, agricultural prospects would improve so 

 rapidly that many of the people who now emigrate would 

 succeed better in their own country. 



[Foreign Office Report, Annual Series, No. 2378. Price 3^.] 



Farm Wages in Belgium. 



A report published by the Belgian Department of Agri - 

 culture on the agriculture of the Ardenne district contains 

 interesting information regarding the local supply of labour 

 and rate of wages. 



In this district indoor male farm-servants are usually en- 



