Report on the Agriculture of Belgium. 
23 
yielded by wheat or rye, in money or grain, and that a good 
farmer ought not to require a course devoted to the purpose 
of killing weeds. As a rule, the land is ploughed in winter, 
and then left until spring, when it will receive about two more 
ploughings, harrowings, and rollings. The seed is sown late in 
the spring, after all danger from frosts has passed ; and the crop 
is harvested in September, yielding about IG bushels per acre on 
the average. 
7. Stock. — Hitherto la petite culture has probably been even 
more celebrated amongst Englishmen for the number of head of 
cattle said to be kept on a given area, than for any other phase 
in its economy. We were told by an intelligent and well-read 
member of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, that the 
small farmers keep a cow and one younger beast (either heifer, 
yearling, or calf) to every hectare (2^ acres) of land. As this 
was nearly double the number of head of cattle we had found on 
any farm in Belgium, we were particularly desirous of ascer- 
taining under what circumstances and by what treatment the 
land could be rendered capable of sustaining so large a 
number of stock. Ultimately we found that the establishment 
was attached to a workhouse, which contained 14 old men, 10 
old women, and 6 children. The stock consisted of 4 cows, 1 
Avorking ox, 1 heifer, and 3 calves, and the extent of ground was 
4^ hectares, making exactly 2 beasts to 1 hectare. Now it was of 
great importance to produce milk and butter for the use of the esta- 
blishment, as well as a surplus for sale ; and whatever deficiency 
occurred in the supply of food yielded by the farm, either for 
man or beast, was bought with money supplied by the commune, 
or earned by the women and children in working flax (the old 
men did the field work). No rent and no wages were paid. 
Under these circumstances it seemed to us equally just to say 
that two head of cattle were kept on each hectare of land, as to 
say that the thirty human beings were also fed by the produce of 
the farm. We quote this little episode to show that statements 
made in good faith, by even well-informed men, must, in the ab- 
sence of positive proof, be frequently received with some caution. 
The usual number of stock kept on the light-land farms is in 
the proportion of 2 cows, 1 heifer, and 1 yearling or calf to every 
4 hectares (10 acres) of ground. When calves are sold off very 
young, and only cows in full milk are kept, the proportion is 
about 2 cows to 3 hectares (7^ acres). When a man is the pro- 
prietor of his farm, has a comparative abundance of capital to 
enable him to purchase food, &c., and is so situated that his 
milk and butter find a ready sale at good prices in the neigh- 
bouring towns, it pays him better to sell those products obtained 
by what amounts to an extension of his farm, than to keep the 
money thus employed lying idle until he can buy more land. 
