Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1913.djvu/789

 PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY

667

a military basis, and possessing a large reserve. In time of war it would be emplo3''ed on tin; lines of commnnication, and would assist in garrisoning the fortresses.

The Belgian infantry is armed with the Mauser rifle. The field artillery has the shielded Krupp q. -f. gun, calibre 7 "5 cm.

Peace establishment of the army in 1912, by arms of the service : —

Officers

Administration

Staffs.

Infantry

Cavalry

Artillery

Engineers

Train.

Medical and other Services

272 118 1,745 304 636 1G4 29 275

Total

,543

Men

Horses

485

25,070 5,362 8,316 1,548 290 2,010

21 234

272

5,530

3,607

49

331

64

43,031

10,108

The military budget of Belgium in 1912 (eftective services only) amounted to 2,594,000/.

The army estimates for 1913 amounted to 81,497,265 francs (3,259, 890Z.) A portion of the total is assigned for aviation purposes. Belgium has no navy.

Production and Industry. I. Agriculture.

In each province there is an official Agricultural Commission, delegates from which, along with specialists, form a supreme council of agriculture.

Of the total area, 2,945,589 hectares, 1,736,174 are under cultivation, 521,495 under forest, 190,444 fallow or uncultivated, the rest roads, marshes, rivers, &c.

The following figures show the yield of the chief crops for three years : —

Crop

Acreage

Produce in cwts.

1909

Wheat

Barley

Oats

Rye

Potatoes.

B^et (sugar)

Tobacco.

389,680 87,448 618,058 636, V 29 346,203 144.344 9,445

1910

1911

380,380

377,910

79,040

85,215

617,500

605,150 !

629,850

629,850

469,300

—

163,267

147,466

14,326

9,880

1909

7,821,111

1,959,807

12,348.300

11,573,731

2,419,«4S 1

1,564,118 1

173,831

1910

6,667,100

1,605,771

11,561,161

11,030,679

2,804,1961

1,944,6-271

211,751

1911

7,828,136

1,968,841

11,812,062

11,541,482

1,452,279 J 196,786

1 Tons.

The average value of the total products of the forests is about 21,653,482 francs.

On December 31, 1909, there were 255,229 horses, 1,856,833 horned cattle, and 1,116,500 pigs.