The Butch Agricultural Colonies. 
799 
The food and habits of life both of the free farmers and the 
labourers are severely simple. Tlie poorest eat little but rye- 
bread, potatoes, and milk. Those better off have eggs, bacon, 
milk, and cheese. Beer is not forbidden, but is not much drunk, 
as it is not sold in the colony. The colonists are not required 
to don any particular kind of dress ; they can wear what clothing 
they like, and buy it where they please. They appear to be 
comfortable and contented, and their cottages are very clean and 
tidy, though this is the almost universal rule in Holland. 
Besides agricultural occupations, work is found for the 
colonists in the Society's workshops, which also afford employ- 
I ment in the winter time, when there is less to do out of doors, 
and it is difficult to keep the hands employed. 
There are a forge and a carpenter's shop, where several lads 
are usually placed as apprentices, as well as weaving-sheds, and 
two basket-factories of considerable size (founded in 1873). 
Quantities of coffee-bags, sacks, coverings for cows' backs (used 
almost universally in Holland in the cold weather, and called 
enveloppen"), and many other jute and coarse cotton fabrics 
are manufactured. Mats and baskets of all sizes and patterns are 
made ; and of late years a considerable industry has sprung up 
in the construction out of osier and bamboo of a great variety 
of ornamental articles, which are sent all over Holland, and 
even abroad. 
An average of 50 workpeople are employed in the basket 
trade. The goods sold annually amount to 1,6001. The osier 
used is bought from outside, as numerous experiments have 
shown that the cultivation on the estate does not give good 
results. There is also a printing-office at Steenwijk, where a 
certain number of lads are employed. 
I The Society attaches the greatest importance to raising the 
condition of the children of the colonists, in order that they may 
fit themselves for careers of usefulness outside the colony. The 
cost of the ordinary schools on the estate is defrayed by the 
Government as a part of the general scheme of free education in 
the Netherlands. There are five national schools (rijls-scholen), 
II with 15 teachers, where the usual curriculum is taught, besides 
i two carpentry and drawing schools for boys, and four schools 
for sewing and knitting for the girls. A recent important ad- 
dition to the educational facilities at the colony has been the 
establishment of three large, handsome, and well-appointed 
schools for agriculture, horticulture, and forestry, to which the 
best of the pupils can proceed after they have gone through the 
jj ordinary schools. For these schools the colony is indebted to 
' the generosity of the late Major F. U. L. von Swieten. The 
