JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 453 
As an instance of the security of property in Belgium I may relate 
what may be termed a little umbrella experience. On a drenching 
night two Englishmen and four Belgians entered one of the large 
cafbs in Antwerp. There might have been two hundred people in, 
and half as many umbrellas crowded in the stands at the doors. The 
umbrellas of the visitors were placed in ihe stands as if they were in 
the entrance halls of the owners. On inquiring if mistakes did not 
occur sometimes the reply was, “ Seldom— never ; they are quite safe.” 
In accordance with custom I deposited my property, but must confess 
I “ kept an eye on ” the stand until I felt conscious, and somewhat 
ashamed, that I was the only person who did so, except, perhaps, my 
English friend. The persons as they departed examined the um¬ 
brellas with the greatest care, their own, when it was found, being 
subjected to a double scrutiny for the purpose of making sure the 
wrong article was not removed. I watched the process furtively for 
more than an hour, and the result satisfied me that everybody's 
property was safe. I had no fear after that night’s experience of 
being otherwise than fairly treated in Belgium, and not once was 
wrong “change” tendered in any transaction. I state this in justice 
to the honest but thrifty people, and for the assurance of British 
gardeners who may be visiting the country for the first time. 
There is such a disposition now-a-days to select what is grand for 
notice, and search for something startling, that trifles are apt to be 
overlooked ; but these are not always devoid of significance, and many 
a good hint might be communicated to the world of gardeners— 
hints that might be of practical value to cultivators if they were 
not withheld; not because they are not good in themselves, but 
because they are “ only trifles.” Let no one, especially the young, 
disregard small matters—the numberless little items and simplicities, 
that if attended to will in the aggregate prove of great benefit to 
them in their education and calling. So much for trifles, and by way 
of excuse for the digression it may be stated as a fact that if the 
small things of life had been overlooked by the writer he would not 
have had any Belgian experience to relate. 
To resume. Railways in Belgium, I have said, are conducted practi¬ 
cally the same as in England ; but there is a difference in one respect 
at least—there are separate first, second, and third carriages for 
females there. And now a “scene” and a warning. A few years 
ago I visited Belgium with as fine a representative of John Bull a3 
ever crossed the sea. He was blunt and honest, with more money 
in his pocket than education in his head ; a strong determined man, 
he had by hard labour hewed his way to prosperity, and had a keen 
relish for the comforts of life. Accompanied by the present Mr. 
Van Houtte we were at the Ghent railway station. Rushing up 
and down the platform looking for the “best carriage” my friend, 
overlooking the significance of the word “ Dames,” at length found 
what he wanted, and with a stentorian shout of “ Here ! Come in 
here, Wright, it’s a beauty ! ” he rushed in. The Dames protested, 
but without avail. The guard was summoned, but the traveller 
kept his seat, showed his ticket, said there was plenty of room and he 
was a respectable man. The altercation grew louder, neither under¬ 
standing the other, until it culminated in a dragging-out case, to 
the no small amusement of Mr. Van Houtte and myself, who allowed 
our friend to make the mistake. On the matter being explained the 
intruder bowed a humble apology to the ladies, gave the guard a 
franc and told him to learn English, as his “ chitter ” w T as “ enough 
to drive a man mad.” The words were, however, wasted, but the 
narration of the episode will not be if it deters any stranger to the 
land and language from entering a carriage reserved for Dames. 
The comparative cheapness of travelling in Belgium is attributable 
to two causes—first, the lines passing through a nearly level district 
have not involved anything approaching the outlay necessary for 
constructing the “ permanent way ” in England ; and secondly, nearly 
all the Belgian lines are the property of the State. There are some 
“ private company ” railways, but the mileage of these is decreasing 
yearly, the State purchasing the lines and improving them. On the 
State railways there are better stations, better carriages, better dressed 
officials, in fact the superiority in everything is strikingly apparent 
over the “ company ” lines ; and further, the management is founded 
on the principle of giving the public all the advantages possible con¬ 
sistently with ensuring a moderate profit in the undertaking for 
contingencies. It is not, however, implied that the State railways of 
Belgium surpass our best English lines, for they do not; but, for the 
reasons stated, travelling is cheaper there than here, and it is certain 
that the State will eventually become the owner, and the sooner the 
better, of all the railways in Belgium. 
There are three routes from Antwerp to Ghent, the shortest and 
shakiest—a regular rattlebones—being the Pays de Waes line, which 
traverses a very fertile district ; the second via Malines and Brussels, 
a pleasant route ; the third the “ new line.” This is really new, also 
pleasant, and as there are neither cuttings nor bridges, a good view 
of the country is obtained, and a glance can be had of the garden and 
farm crops, there being less grazing land than in the second mentioned 
district. 
While, as is generally known, there are a far greater number of 
very small holdings in Belgium than in England, there are yet farms 
of a considerable size, and held on a system of tenure that would not 
at the present time commend itself to British farmers. The arrange¬ 
ment is very simple, and it would appear as if the owner had decidedly 
the best of the bargain, for the tenants covenant to find all the 
manure, all the labour, and all the seed, the landlord having half the 
value of the products as rent. This system, however, only applies 
to some of the rich alluvial Wheat soils in the neighbourhood of 
Antwerp. The general rule is, the tenants take the land for three, 
six, or nine years at so much per year, but, as in England, it appears 
many of them cannot pay their rent in consequence of the depression 
of prices occasioned by the free importation of produce from America 
and other countries, and farm land is, I am informed on good 
authority, rapidly falling in value. But small holders greatly pre¬ 
dominate in Belgium, the fields, or rather plains, as there are few 
fences, being apparently cut up into a vast number of allotments of 
a few acres each. 
Most of the dwellings—plain cottages—have gardens attached, but 
as a rule these are neither so attractive nor so well cultivated as the 
home plots of British labourers—that is to say, flowers are evidently 
not so much cherished by the Belgian as by the English peasantry, 
and there is a greater variety and better vegetables here than there. 
Potatoes appear to be planted about 18 or 20 inches apart, not 
always in rows, and some of the plants have earth drawn around 
them, but not all. The growth was generally weak, and the produce 
necessarily small. Judging by the stocks in the markets and the 
dishes on tables of private families and in hotels, small tubers appear 
to be preferred. They are certainly much smaller than as used in 
England, but of excellent quality, especially a yellowish kind of 
superior flavour ; the sandy alluvial soil is, however, no doubt con¬ 
ducive to high quality. Only a few varieties appear to be grown, 
and the breadths on the whole had a somewhat “ worn-out ” appear¬ 
ance. Yery few Peas were seen in the gardens; very little Celery, 
and this very poor ; Winter Greens, such as Savoys and Kale, small 
and late; few if any Brussels Sprouts visible; plenty of lurnips, 
plenty of Scarlet Runners, four sticks being inserted about 2 feet 
apart, the tops brought together and secured supporting the plants ; 
little or no Rhubarb was seen, not many Onion beds, and although 
salads are an institution, neither Tomatoes nor Cucumbers appear to 
be grown in Belgium. 
On the “ farms ” the cultivation was better, and there was a 
gratifying absence of weeds. More women than men were engaged 
on the land, several of them appearing as if searching for weeds 
amongst the Potatoes. The implements employed are not modern, 
but, on the contrary, the ploughs are rude, and the few animals were 
lean, while their drivers were not as a rule fat. Still, perhaps, they 
are contented. They are industrious and sober—virtues which make 
happy if humble homes. The system of Belgian husbandry would 
not answer in England any more than it does in Ireland, as, if allot¬ 
ments are so limited as only to afford a “ living ” in good years, the 
inevitable alternative follows of “hard lines”—semi-starvation and 
discontent in unfavourable seasons. In England, in some districts at 
least, the other extreme, relative to the size of farms, is apparent, 
and cultivators with sufficient capital cannot be found to stock them. 
As in other affairs of life, so in farming, the old mean between the 
two extremes is the safe course. But I arrive at Ghent—a city of 
canals and bridges, sweet chimes, gaunt gables, and a hundred 
nurseries. What I saw of some of the latter in eighteen hours I will 
tell another day.—J. Wright. 
[The publication of this article, which has been in type for some 
months, has been unavoidably postponed on account of the great 
demands on our space during the spring months.] 
LATE PEARS. 
You have many able writers about Pears, as I have seen by 
the correspondence some time ago. I feel sure some of them will 
be willing to assist me, as they have freely helped others. I 
am situated in one of the northern counties, and am anxious to 
obtain a supply of Pears if possible until the end of February or 
beginning of March. Can this be accomplished in the north by 
the aid of south walls ? Glou Morceau in that position does well 
in some seasons and fairly well in others, but this is over by 
January. General Todtleben certainly ripens a little later, but 
does not continue the supply long. Josephine de Malines is a 
good and delicious Pear in some localities, but is unsatisfactory 
with me on the Quince stock ; the fruit is small, and shrivels long 
before it is ripe. Bergamotte Esperen is very free, but can 
scarcely ever be sent to table in good condition. Beurie de 
Ranee is only a second-rate Pear. Of Ne Plu3 Meuris I have not 
a fruiting tree against a south wall. Easter Beurr6 is very un¬ 
satisfactory, and I am inclined to think the northern counties are 
not warm enough for it. 
It is not difficult to maintain a supply of good Pears until 
January, but after that date it is not so easy in this locality. No 
doubt some of your correspondents will know from experience 
varieties with which I am not acquainted that will succeed in 
Lancashire, and be in good condition to maintain the supply as 
long as I require.— Lancastrian. 
Double Wallflowers. —We are informed that the double yellow 
Wallflower about which a correspondent inquired last week can be 
obtained from Swanley We suspect this variety is by no means so 
scarce as the old double scarlet Wallflower that used to be a pro- 
