The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1874-11-26
"a Little Land Well Titled"

/ "A Little Land Well Tiled"
The following extract from Brussels
letter to the Chicago Tribune shows
what can be done on q small ara OF ter
ritory:
"Bclgium is only small patch of ter
ritory containing barely lO,4OO square
miles /; but on this little area there j,
supported in comfort and independence
5,400, 900 souls Can your readers real
ize that on space not exceeding one
fifth that of Illinois there is concen
trated the population of Illinois, Iowa
Wisconsin and Minnesota? Bat such il
the fact.
"Not only does Belgium produce suite
lent food for her population, including
barley for the manufacture OF beer, Of
which large quantities are consumed, but
she grows nearly enough sugar beets to
supply her people with what ''sweet-
ming" they need and in the mountain
districts of Ardenncs grapes enough ere
grown TO produce a considerable part OF
all the wine consumed in Belgium.
"Previous to the French occupation
the land was held in vast estates by the
mobiles and priests tor the benefit Of u
few pampered families, and as conse-
quence the country was badly titled by
an ignorant, superstitious and poverty
pinched peasantry. But as fast as the
lands, under the operation OF the French
laws, became the property of those who
farmed them, the system of tillage i'm
proved and the condition of the people
changed from pauperism into independ-
ence.
"There is now no hereditary land mo-
nopoly and no Idle land in Belgium.
Not an acre is devoted to deer parks,
p heasantries or other sporting purposes
tor the enjoyment Of luxurious and
dissolute aristocracy, whilc masses OF
men are starving for bread. AS | travel
through Belgium SEQ swarms of men,
women and children cutting down and
gathering harvest Of grain and grass
where the wheat will yield thirty to for
ty bushels to the acre, the oats fifty to
seventy-five bushels, and the hay two
and a half to four tons per acre, while
the ensuing product of flax and root
crops--potatoes and beets-will be beyond
the American conception of possibilities.
The Strawberries, red raspberries aud
gooscberries brought to market, while
not superior in flavor to those sold in
Chicago, are twice or thrice as large.
"These enormous yields of agricutur
al and horticultural products are not in
consequence of better soil or climate
than in America, but are the results OF
of heavy manuring, deep blowing and
spading, subsoillag, under draining when
required, irrigation when possible,
watchfu hoeing and wedding, free use Of
guano and other fertilizers for top-dress.
ing and careful harvesting and storage
of crops, whereby nothing is wasted,
lost, or allowed 10 rot in the field This
perfect system Of tillage never was
adopted or thought Of until the land be-
came the property Of the cultivators OF
the soil, and the relation Of landlord and
tenant ceased to exist. The price of land
n Belgium ranges from $500 TO $1,000 !
per acre, and fair average would be !
s400 to $500; but there is very little Of !
cred for sale.
brussels possesses a park which for
extent is unrivaled in Europe and before |
ong will bave no superior in beauty
he great Forest of SOlgnes, which ex-
ends from the suburbs south to the edge |
# the battlefield OF Waterloo, distan ce |
# twelve miles, and with width of
our or FIVE miles. This large tract has
great variety OF hill and dale surface,
With some small streams flowing through
t. 1t is densely crowned with tall forest
recs one or two centuries old. Through
his great forest the Belgian Govern
lent, TO whom it belongs, is construct
NJ broad drive-ways and bridlepaihs,
nd lakes, cascades, bridges, grottocs,
nd ether decorative works. But it is
o extensive that it will take genera
ons TO complete them ALL"