DOI article:
David, Johan: Spade cultivation in Flanders
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49002#0006
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JOHAN DAVID
SPITTEN : verschillende methodes SPADE
SPADE CULTIVATION: different methods werkwijze
Abb. 1. Spatenkultur: verschiedene Methoden. -
Bearbeiteter Boden, A: Schnitt, B: GrundriE.
Abb. 2. Spatenkultur: verschiedene Methoden;
bearbeiteter Boden; Furche, Richtung der Arbeit.
When tilled in this way, the surface of the
field is level. However in Flanders, beds (i.e.
narrow, somewhat higher strips separated
by a trench) were very common. Still about
1900, 2-3 m (sometimes 5-6 m) wide beds
were made (Monogr. agri. 50; Leplae 490).
This was mostly done with a plough but less
well off peasants did it with the spade (cf.
below).
Beds had several advantages. Drainage
was automatic. The water ran from the bed
into the trench and, if necessary, from there
into a ditch. Crops never suffered because of
excessive moisture. The ground was less cold
and weeds grew less, especially since the
peasant could walk in the trenches and weed.
Without crushing anything, he could reach
the plants everywhere in the bed and keep
the field clean. Where the fertile layer was
thin and where there was an impermeable
layer, a deeper tilth was obtained and crops
suffered less from moisture during the win-
ter and from drought in the summer. Finally
earth could be taken out of the trench to be
JOHAN DAVID
SPITTEN : verschillende methodes SPADE
SPADE CULTIVATION: different methods werkwijze
Abb. 1. Spatenkultur: verschiedene Methoden. -
Bearbeiteter Boden, A: Schnitt, B: GrundriE.
Abb. 2. Spatenkultur: verschiedene Methoden;
bearbeiteter Boden; Furche, Richtung der Arbeit.
When tilled in this way, the surface of the
field is level. However in Flanders, beds (i.e.
narrow, somewhat higher strips separated
by a trench) were very common. Still about
1900, 2-3 m (sometimes 5-6 m) wide beds
were made (Monogr. agri. 50; Leplae 490).
This was mostly done with a plough but less
well off peasants did it with the spade (cf.
below).
Beds had several advantages. Drainage
was automatic. The water ran from the bed
into the trench and, if necessary, from there
into a ditch. Crops never suffered because of
excessive moisture. The ground was less cold
and weeds grew less, especially since the
peasant could walk in the trenches and weed.
Without crushing anything, he could reach
the plants everywhere in the bed and keep
the field clean. Where the fertile layer was
thin and where there was an impermeable
layer, a deeper tilth was obtained and crops
suffered less from moisture during the win-
ter and from drought in the summer. Finally
earth could be taken out of the trench to be