BELGIUM. The coal-fields of this im portant country are in the provinces of Lim bourg, Liege, Namur, and Hainault ; and nany of them are very rich in produce. The )ther varieties of mineral produce include .ron, calamine, and building stone.
The soil, which in each of the provinces onsists almost entirely of clay and sand, has .'or the most part been rendered fertile by a lice admixture of both these elements. Agri mItural industry is carried to a great extent n the kingdom, and the cultivators have wailed themselves of every advantage within heir reach for increasing their productions. Phe most general objects of cultivation are ;cheat, rye, barley, oats, meslin, buck-wheat, temp, flax, madder, hops, chicory, colza, and he artificial grasses, clover, trefoil, lucerne, and sainfoin. The rota bags, or Swedish .tu•ip, turnips, carrots, parsnips, and pota are raised to a considerable amount by 'mid culture. Tobacco is grown in some situ ations, and everywhere fruits of the kinds grown in England are objects of careful cul tivation. Turf-ashes and drainage refuse 'are much more largely and advantageously used as manure in Belgium than in England. Among the timber trees are the oak, chestnut, horse-chestnut, beech, elm, horn-beam, ash, walnut,fir, and different descriptions of poplars.
The manufacturing industry of Belgium has declined in modern times as compared witli the extent to which it was carried on in the 14th century. The making of thread lace, originated in Flanders, and up to a com paratively recent period Brussels and Mechlin carried on a large trade in that article: in the former city more than 12,000 persons were once employed for its production. Early in the 14th century, Louvain contained 4,000 looms for woollens ; and Brussels and Ant wcrp had together as large a number. At a' date not quite so remote, Ghent employed be tween 30,000 and 40,000 looms forth weaving of woollen and linen goods. It is mentioned
that the weavers of that city onco mustered 16,000 men in arms under the banners of their respective trades. The woollen manu facture is now prosecuted at Verviers, Char leroy, Tourney, Mons, and some other towns. Cotton-spinning and weaving are carried on in some of the larger towns. Liege and Maastricht contain large tanneries. At Ant werp, Ostend, and Ghent, there are some sugar refineries ; cutlery is made at Namur ; and fire-arms in considerable quantities at Liege. Breweries are numerous and exten sive in most of the principal towns through out the kingdom. Earthenware is made of good quality in several places ; and the manu facture of nails has been carried on for a very long period in the provinces of Liege and Hainault.
The articles which Belgium supplies to England are oak-bark, flax, madder, clover seed, spelter, and sheep's wool ; in return for which we send various kinds of East India and West India produce, tobacco, and cotton wool, besides British and Irish produce and manufactures, consisting principally of brass and copper manufactures, cotton manufac tures and yarn, hardware, earthenware, salt, sheep's wool, woollen and worsted yarn, and woollen manufactures. The exports of British produce and manufactures to Belgium have averaged about one million sterling an nually for the last six or eight years ; but in 1819 they reached nearly a million and a half.
In no continental country, except France, are such extensive preparations being made to assume a creditable position at the Groat Exhibition of 1851, as in Belgium. The whole of the great towns will contribute their ' choicest productions. Of the industrial ex hibitions of Belgium, we have spoken in the INTRODUCTION.