66 
Report on the Agriculture of Belgium. 
pastures during tlie summer, going on the stubbles also after 
harvest. For the home market no artificial food or corn is given, 
and this suits the majority of the farmers of the country ; they 
are sold in August to be delivered according to agreement by in- 
stalments, before November 1, by which date they are all got rid 
of. Sheep for the English market are required fatter, and must, 
therefore, have better keep ; they are generally fed on beetroot- 
pulp as already described. 
5. River-valleys. — The soil in the river-valleys, continually 
fertilized by fresh deposits from the rivers, is especially adapted 
for grass, and yields the very best pasturage in the country. In 
some districts its value as feeding land is enormous ; so great, 
indeed, that some proprietors will not let it at any price. In 
other neighbourhoods it is not so dear. The rent may fairly 
be said to range between 3Z. and 6/. per English acre, the 
latter of course being an excessively high rent, and only obtain- 
able for small portions in small-farm districts. 
The grass is usually cut every alternate year ; but it is con- 
sidered better management to feed two years and cut the third. 
In small-farm districts the hay is generally sold by auction. 
This practice was commenced about twenty years ago, and is 
now very general, as the proprietor gets a far better return than 
by letting the land. In a good year, the hay off tolerably good 
meadows will fetch 10/. per acre ; in ordinary j^ears from 7/. to 
8/. In some communes the farmers have the right to turn their 
beasts on to the aftermath in September and October ; but in 
other parishes this privilege has to be paid for. Wherever it has 
been possible to do so, this kind of " common-right " has been 
extinguished, in consequence of the damage done by the cows at 
that time of year. Irrigating commences about the middle of 
November, and is discontinued in March. Where tidal influence 
is felt, the water overflows the meadows, when turned on them, 
every high tide. 
Many of these valley-pastures, until the rivers had been pro- 
perly canalized, were flooded whenever they overflowed, and the 
lower land was thus rendered so wet that it was worthless for a 
great part of the year. Now that the overflow of the rivers is 
carefully regulated, the low-lying land has become far more valu- 
able than the higher ground.* 
* On this subject M. Leclerc observes : — " In some provinces, particularly in 
Luxembourg, where the land is hilly and small water-courses abound, the water 
is used in the winter for artificial irrigation, but the results are not very satis- 
factory, because irrigation is generally badly conducted. The proprietors will 
not go to the necessary expense for levelling the land, so as to facilitate the 
regular distribution and tlowing of the water. It is only in that part of the 
provinces of Antwerp and Limbourg, known under the name of ' Campine,' that 
well established irrigation is found. With the view of fertilising this region. 
