The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1894-12-20
BELGIUM FARMING.
People Who Live Chiefly by Ag-
riculture.
NO YARDS OR STABLE LOTS NEEDED
Little Spots Of Ground Made to Support
Families of Seven or Eight
in Number.

u. w. Lille says that farming in
the lower countries of Holland and Bel
GUM is an interesting study. To one
whose home is on the boundless prairies
OF the West, it is problem. To
know that a country no larger than
Maryland contains 5000, 900 of people
who live chiefly by agriculture is inter
esting, but to see the little hooks and
odd shaped corners of land that pass
for farms in Belgium is to doubt ones
own eyes. The smallest farm lands
of Continental Europe are those of
Belgium. As one passes into Holland
the farms may be seen to increase in
size until the Dutch province of Fries
land is reached where cattle raising is
the chief pursuit. There the fiat graz
ing lands afford plenty of range for the
herds Of sleek black and white spotted
buttermakers which are famous the
world over.
In Belgium the produce of every
farm is varied. A three cornered
piece of land containing about two
acres and hemmed by bitches filled
with water, is the size and situation of
typical Belgian farm. As small as
it is, it will contain patch of wheat
or rye and another of barley; another
fair portion of it grows potatoes.
A row of cabbage grows all around
on the sloping sides of the bitches with
row of onions just inside, leaving
baee walking room between them and
the grain. The rest of the tillable soil
is planted with great variety of vege-
tables, either for substantial food for
the farmers own table or a better
priced product for other mems tables
For shade, ornament and profit, row
of fruit trees, mostly pear trees, sur
round his house. There are no yards
or stable lots because they are not
needed and besides every inch of
ground must produce. have Won
dered how these little spots of ground
could be made to furnish enough to
feed and clothe farmer and his family
of seven or eight children; they all
seem to have large families. asked a
farmer in Flanders how he could man
age to support himself with two acres
of ground.
II had the same crop last year., he
said, and / had barley and onions
and cabbage to sell after selling my
early vegetables. Then I had few
hogs, some chickens and eggs to send
to market"
/ had not thought of live stock Oh
the place but he showed me where he
kept his hogs and chickens and eggs.
In back room under the same square
tiled roof with himself, were six fine
porkers. 1t was clean and comfort
able place for them, too, notwithstand
ing score of chickens lived in the
same room with them. l knew he die
not have horse.
There was not room enough on the
place for one of my little bronchos
not to speak of the big Belgian draf
horses which pull the enormously biz
trucks in Antwerp and Brussels. Ii
one corner of this room which was hi
stable, two good-sized dogs wer
chained to kennel. They were com
mon looking enough, but as dear tt
him, no doubt, as my horses are to me
They served him as horses do farmer
in America.
These, then, were couple of tn
famous Flemish trekhonden, the draf
dogs of BELGIUM and South HOLLAND
where one may see them on the high
ways and in the streets of every villag
and city. They seem to be a mongre
breed with all sorts of strains notice
able among them. They draw thos
heavy little two-wheeled wagon
loaded with everything; with mill
with vegetables, with lumber an
sometimes one may see two or three {
these dogs rafting along over tn
paved country roads with three {
four persons in the cart behind then
, They are in every way cheaper tina
horses and l believed this Flemis
farmer when he said, that with h
two dogs he did not need horse.