Report on the Agriculture of Behjinm. 
under his direction. The general contour of the body was a 
modification of that usually seen in Flanders, but it was scarcely 
more than half the usual length, and was very much wider in 
proportion ; then the wheels, instead of being placed as far apart 
us possible, were, tout an contraire, as near together as could well 
be. Throughout our tour it maintained its place in our minds as 
the best designed waggon we had seen in Belgium. 
The question has been asked more than once, What is really 
the annual income of a holder of 10 acres, one year with another ? 
Docs he get, as labourer, the same wages which he pays for 
assistance ; and does he get, in addition, any profit per acre in 
his character of a farmer ? These questions are difficult to answer 
even approximately ; but we venture to offer the following reply 
as regards the small farm which we have described. It must be 
borne in mind, however, that so favourable a statement could 
hardly be given for many small farms in Belgium. 
Our calculations will be simplified by the following facts : — 
The cattle, the pigs, and three persons are fed by the produce ol 
the farm ; therefore, as our small farmer cannot eat his corn and 
sell it too, we shall not include either rye, " mixture," carrots, 
turnips, potatoes, or clover in his money receipts. We shall 
also assume that the pigs are invariably killed for home con- 
sumption. On the other hand we shall include no jmrchases in 
the expenditure, except guano and young pigs ; and we shall 
also consider that when a cow is " fattened" off" during the winter 
she will realise just enough to buy a milch-cow in her stead. 
We also think we are justified in considering that the wheat is 
sold, — that is, indeed, the almost invariable practice. Seven 
acres cultivated on a seven-course system give exactly one acre 
per course ; but we have only the crops off two complete courses 
to sell, viz., wheat and colza. In addition, we have one-quarter of 
an acre of tobacco and one-tenth of an acre of flax (excluding the 
seed), which are prepared at home, and therefore yield the utmost 
possible amount. The crop of flax with a good farmer weighs 
about 725 kilos, per hectare when prepared ; this will give about 
30 kilos, for one-tenth of an acre, and in the following balance- 
sheet we have taken about the mean price paid in December, 
1868, according to the return issued by the Courtrai Chamber 
of Commerce. The price of wheat after the harvest of 1868 is 
taken from the same source, and the amounts given for colza and 
tobacco were actually realised. The butter finds a very ready 
sale in the neighbouring towns, and the price given is about the 
mark. The wages, rates and taxes, and the price of guano, are 
at the current rates. The garden-produce will probably not be 
thought too highlv rated at 10/. 
D 2 
