70 
Report on the Agriculture of Belgium. 
disforested. Of this quantity four-fifths were in pasture every 
year, the system being- to sow grass-seeds with the first crop (of 
rye) and allow the pasture to remain five years. He would then 
plough this as deeply as possible, about 15 inches, and subsoil to 
a depth of 8 inches more. He would then sow a white crop and 
a mixture of seeds, to remain another five years. When roots 
were taken after broken-up pasture, the land would be sown 
with white crop and grasses the succeeding year. On this estate 
there were 20 horses and 400 beasts ; 240 of the latter were 
Avorking oxen, 34 milch-cows, and the rest feeding beasts, heifers, 
steers, and calves. The working oxen were sold off half-fat at 
six or seven years old, to suit the requirements of the purchasing 
butchers. On this estate all the lighter land was sown with 
pine-seeds in the rye, as those conifers are found to produce an 
extremely good return. 
In another portion of the Ardennes, where there were some 
very superior farmers, we found a somewhat different culture. 
On a farm held by a gentleman who had been several times in 
England, and who had learnt, inter alia, the value of dissolved 
bones, the mode of cropping consisted of two rotations, so that 
half the farm was always on each system. The pastures having 
been manured and broken up, the first rotation was (1) rye or 
swedes, (2) oats or barley, and clover, (3) clover, (4) epautre 
(spelt), (5) oats or spring vetches. The other course was (1) rye, 
(2) oats and clover, (3, 4, and 5) grass, which is kept clean, and 
not allowed to grow what will come naturally, as is the custom 
of the district. This farm consists of 500 acres, and supports 
between 40 and 50 feeding-beasts, 10 cows, several heifers and 
calves, and two bulls (one Devon and one Polled Angus). There 
are also 150 breeding ewes, and altogether about 400 sheep. 
The sheep-keeping was similar to that pursued by Baron Peers, 
except that the lambs are got late, the ewes being put to the 
ram towards the end of September, and the lambs not weaned 
until the beginning of the month. The breed was Southdown. 
VII, E^SUM^. 
Before leaving the farming-practices of Belgium, we think it 
desirable to recapitulate some of the more salient featui'es which 
differ from those of English agriculture. The practice of taking 
successive white crops we have frequently dilated upon, and we 
have also mentioned more than once the want of artificial 
manures, especially phosphates. The practice of "soiling" has 
also been noticed, and no doubt much valuable food is tliereby 
economized, though at the cost of some labour ; but in Belgium 
this is not a very serious item. In contrast to this saving we 
