The farmer and mechanic., 1914-09-22
REI CLANS HAVE FIXED PLACE
IN WORLD TRADE AND HISTORY
Showed Themselves An Astonishing People in Surprise
Party They Gave the German Army Of INVASION
Smaller Than Maryland. ,..=s.-tas .aa a. 1lza

trlDutlOn Is only parlldl. Il ne dSIl-
cultural life, however, is fully as ac-
dustrial life. Belgium farms are mod
el farms. and the red tiled farm
houses are as picturesque as those in
any part Of Europe. While Belgium
has little surplus agricultural pro-
ducts to export, it's orchard area,
which comprises 10000 acres, is so
well cultivated and SO productive that
it is possible to ship apples, pears,
cherries and plums to other countries
The Belgian draught dog and the
dog cart as a means of transport in
the Flemish provinces is common and
might properly be considered a do
mestic necessity as much as the horse
Stock k-raising, too, is part Of the
Belgian agricultural system. The
Flemish draught horses are sought
for by all countries, and every year
from $4,000 to 10000 of them are eX-
ported. The United States takes a
thousand of them each year.
An industrial nation with q limited
agricultural area inevitably becomes
factor in the worlds commerce. Food
stuffs have to be imported, and raw
materials to supplement those within
the country. such as coal and zinc.
The exports naturally are Of nAnufac-
tured products
To those who are not close students
or world commerce, the figures of
Belgium's foreign trade viii be an as
tOnishing revelation OF the aStoniSh-
ing Belgians. Until a few years ago
the little country had an interna-
tiona1 commerce equal to that of all
South America. In round numbers
S1,7OO 600, 900. Some Of this is tran
sit commerce for continental neigh
bOrs but the bulk of it is based on
Belgian consumption and production.
In recent year the imports were
1857, 100000 and the exports $780,
100000. The great volume Of the
| commerce is with Germany, France
and Great Britain. All OF this is up
| set by the war.
Our Commerce With Belgium
The commerce with the United
States is all favorable to this country.
| since Belgium must have grain, flour
| and other foOdstuffs, as we'll as cotton
for it's industries. The imports from
the United States range from $70,-
| 100000 to $4,000, 900. Manufactured
| articles form a negligible quantity
In ordinary years the United States
absorbs $25,000,O0O to $3O,OOO,0OO OF
| Belgian products. During the war
these will be shut off, and doubtless
| after the war Belgium will find that
American manufacturers are produc-
ing for the home market some of the
/ i
piled.
The United States has been a heavy
| buyer OF certain raw products, as wei
as of manufactured commodities from
| Belgium. This is because Of the pO
sitiOn Antwerp occupies as a worlt
port for internationaif transit 1t ha.
been in the habit Of taking $5,0O00O(
of hides and skins, which have beer
received from South America ant
other countries, cured and then re
| shipped to the United States. Kong,
rubber to the mount Of $5,O00,OOO t,
$4,000. 600 annually has been impOrte,
via Antwerp.
A million dollars worth of ivor,
has been received in the same man
ner. The imports of raw fax hav
ranged from 100000 to $1.OOO.OOO
Artificial fertilizers have amounted t
100000.
In the fine manufactured products
which are Beigium's specialties, line
! goods imported by the United State
? in average years amounts to $4,000
900. Laces usually approximate $500,
600, and WOOlen textiles the same
Artificial silk also apprOximates $500
Z 600. 1t will be seen from this tha
: the textile market Of the United State
: is an important one for the Belgia
industries. -
4 Belgian window and plate glass an
photo glass have a market Of $500
q 600. American consumers, for a yea
at least, are likely to be deprived {
n the opportunity to purchase all thes
) | Belgian articles.
: Reaching Out For Business.
d The United States, while increasin
n shipments of grain, flour and oths
e foodstuffs, if the ports Of Antwerp an
S. Ghent are kept open, will lose the sa
l. of one Of it's great staple crops. Wit
n the Belgian industries prostrated thel
y will be no cotton cargoeS for AntWe1
Al and Ghent.
4 Outside of it's European trad
y which is involved in the general W.
n cataclysm, Belgium will suffer vast
l. in it's overseas commerce Two
= three years ago a Belgian-Br
,r chamber Of commerce was establishe
b. and a commercial museum opened
of Rio de JaneirO as a permanent exh
in bition of Belgian products. Belgiu
at was then selling Brazil eighteen m
I'd lion dollars worth OF products.
market in the Argentine Republ
A. had about the same value, and