194 A Joint- Stock Farm in the Netherlands. 
house. Attached to the cottages is a garden of about one-eighth 
of an acre in extent, and a piece of potato-land of about one- 
fourth of an acre is let to them at a low rate. 
The day labourers live chiefly on potatoes and bread. They 
prefer white bread, for which they pay about 2>\d. per lb. They 
feed their own pigs and eat the produce, and they also buy 
American bacon, which is very cheap. They drink weak coffee 
and a little gin. 
In estimating the condition of the labourer on this farm, it 
should be remembered that while he is paid only for the time 
he is actually at work, and not when stopped by rain or other 
causes, yet on the other hand, although Mr. van den Bosch has 
a steam threshing-machine, he threshes a great deal with the 
flail in order to give work to the people, although the work is 
not so well done (except in the case of beans), and is more 
expensive. 
As to whether the labourer has improved either in mind, 
body, or estate, Mr. van den Bosch informs me " that they are 
in a better condition than in former years. They have higher 
wages, whilst prices of food are moderate, and some articles, as 
bacon and ham, have been rendered much cheaper by the large 
importations from America. There is not much change as to 
their habitation and allotment of land. It cannot be stated that 
the younger generation has improved as to habits of sobriety, 
respect for superiors, &c. ; whilst some are not satisfied with 
their position in life, and try to change it." 
Farm Buildings. — There are six farmsteadings, which are 
practically large rectangular barns, with horse-stalls on one side 
and cattle-stalls on the other. The remainder of the space is 
designed for the storing and threshing of the bulk of the crop. 
Outside, adjoining the cattle-stalls, are some open yards with 
covered sheds for the younger cattle, and on the barn side is a 
road made of bricks, and then a series of stacks so that the steam 
threshing-machine may be equally conveniently placed to thresh 
the corn in the barn and that in the stacks. The sheep-sheds 
are span-roofed and thatched with straw, being furnished with a 
yard for each division, which contains either six breeding 
animals or 20 fatting sheep. 
General. — Before leaving the Wilhelmina Polder, I should 
like to point out the manner in which advantage has been taken 
to drain the land by our English system of pipes instead of the 
Dutch system of open ditches. This has enabled Mr. van den 
Bosch to use steam-cultivating machinery and to effect a large 
economy of horse-power, although the major portion of the crops 
is cut by reaping-machines. The usual calculation in the 
polder district is 1 horse to 7 hectares (17^ acres), and I have 
