Report on the Agriculture of Delgium. 
59 
12. Horses. — The Flemish breed of horses is well known, but 
the pure blood is now rarely met with, except in breeding es- 
tablishments. For farm purposes the most esteemed kind is a 
cross of the native breed with an English, or with the French 
Percheron. Pure Flemish horses, though possessing great strength, 
have not sufficient life in them. It is probably owing in some 
measure to their native sluggishness that the proportion of horses 
required for farm-purposes is so high in Belgium ; but the nature 
of the implements must also have an effect. Most frequently we 
found that five horses were kept for every 100 acres ; occasional!}^ 
the number was as low as four, but only once did we meet with 
a farm worked by the usual English number of three horses per 
100 acres. That farm was on some of the lightest Campine land 
— almost a pure sand ; but as there were brick-kilns attached to 
it, and belonging to the proprietor and occupier of the farm, 
no doubt some of the draught-work was done by horses not really 
kept on the farm. One horse to 20 acres is considered the right 
proportion in the light land of the Pays de Waes ; and it is only 
on large farms that the proportion is perceptibly reduced. Con- 
sidering the excellence and cheapness of the railway accommo- 
dation, the large number of market towns at small distances apart, 
the lightness of the land, and the tendency of the Belgian farmer 
to consume so large a quantity of his own crops, this proportion 
must be regarded as excessively high. 
The usual food in summer is clover or lucerne, and oats ; in 
winter it is generally.hay and a larger allowance of oats. Beans 
are not given unless grown on the farm, and then in many cases, 
for want of a bean-splitter, they are soaked in water for some 
hours previously. Rye-bread is also given, especially on small 
occupations, and to stallions after serving. Some farmers give 
their horses carrots in winter ; but the general opinion is, that 
although they are fattening, they do not keep the horses in good 
condition. We may say that the Belgian farm-horses are kept 
quite as well as is the rule on ordinary English farms, chiefly on 
account of the quantity of oats given, 14 lbs. per diem being an 
ordinary allowance when the horses are hard worked. When 
they have clover, as much of it as they can eat is within their 
reach, and about 8 or 10 lbs. of oats is allowed them also. The 
stables are generally without any divisions, and the horses have 
what we should consider rather too much room. 
Horses fetch good prices in Belgium, agricultural stallions 
ranging from 80/. to 120Z. each; geldings, at 6 or 7 years old, 
from 30Z. to 40/. Some farmers keep stallions which serve mares 
brought to the farm at 8.s. each ; such stallions are bought as 
y earlings at from 24Z. to 32/. each. On one such farm we saw 
seven stallions, five of which were in service ; these would be sold 
