Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-02-08
Gfsrierd6aaf Department.
.aFsRnfNG INnRIs:IuM.

- NANANAN ~ AhNaNtAaAA
IN Eastern Flanders, out Of q hun
drcd acres Of land seveuty.two are sown
Witb cereals and plants used in manu-.
features twenty-eight with roots ana
forage, but to this must be added thirty
one acres 81 after.erop. which gives fifty
nine as afording excellent food Tor cat.
tie, superior 10 common meadows. aud
which explains how poor land can pay
rent Of Eve pounds an acre. lie second
sowing consists Of turnips and spergula
after COLA, FAX. aud early potatoes and
tie carrot. which is sown in spring with
tbe-PseaeesiiRg eTePs. and earefally hoed
after they have been taken away. The
oloysrs having occupied the ground
during the Winter. leave it clear for
April sowing aud the giant cabbage
DEVELOPS during the cold season. making
stem six feet high. and giving abund-
ant and excellent leaves fer milch cows.
Culture thus pushed to the extreme.
Necessarily requires some capital. and it
Is reckoned that, through a system Of
rirorous PaEsimony and saving. double
the sum per acre is used in Belgium to
that employed in England. and two
thirds more in the best farms. In this
way the most dense population in Eu-
rope subsist on a soil so little favored by
nature.
Turning 70 one Of the most fertile
parts Of Belgium. al. as has been said.
is charmiug-every road is bordered
with trees not a rise in the ground Is
seen; all is calm. uniform, and presents
an image Of quiet comfort and peace.
Each house is detached. and surrounded
with large apple-orcbards, hedged in by
box, holly, or hawthorn. where the cows
are brought to feed every morning and
evening II is Of ono story only. and
matched. containing four rooms-the
first for meals. the second for the dairy
and preparing the food for cattle, the
others for sleeping-r0Oms. The old
fashioned oak furniture is q model Of
brightness; tin and copper utensils
shine on the walls. which are white.
washed. The garden is gay with wall
flowers. dahlias, and hydrangeas, and
the florists flowers which are to be
shown at Client.
Outside, everything is in its place {;
nothing spoils the greensward the ditch
and manure heap are banished the lat.
ter is always under the roof Of the stable
or COW shed. In this. stand FIVE or six
large cows. the constant care Of the
farmers wife. who gives the abundance
Of green meat in Summer. with straw.
hay. and kind Of warm soup. mixed
with carrots, turnips or rye, in Winter.
Thanks to this nourishment and the
constant rest they enjoy. the animals
give from fifteen to twenty quarts daily.
The tools are simple. but Of FIRST rate
construction; the plough is light, drawn
by one horse, and works with ease. "a
pidity, and regularity. The harrows
are Of various kinds. triangular. rectan-
gular, or aparallelogram but the spec
ial tool with which the Fleming has fertil-
lied sands, dried up marshes. and forced
back the sea, is the spade. The proverb
on the banks Of the Scheldt is: 1.-The
spade is a gold mine to the peasant p
and different kinds are made for light Of
heavy soil.
The fields are mostly square. and
rarely contain more than an acre: the
ground Is curved Systematically. the
centre being the highest, so that the
water drains down equally in all direc
tions, Round the field. and foot low
er. extends a strip Of grass, three or foul
yards wide still lower a hedge Of cid
ers is planted which is cut every sever
years; and finally. the plot is surround
ed BY a ditch. bcrdered with trees o.
larger growth. Thus. each piece fur
nishes rich grass. frewood every sever
years. and timber for building ever,
thirty years. The plough is generals
used; but every seven years the subsoi
Is turned to the top by the spade, and
thus 1t acquires depth unknown to all
but the best gardens, the principal Oh
Jeet being to produce fax and butter
not cereals. The best farmers never
sell their corn. but allow their cattle t,
consume Chambers Journal