History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 183

mentions cattle-cake made from turnips, and this very advanced idea was borrowed
from the Dutch, who bought up English rape-seed, after the oil had been extracted, to
make cake for their beasts. Two other field crops were now introduced; the cabbageturnip or kohl-rabi was brought in by Reynolds of Addisham in Kent in 1767 and the
mangel-wurzel later.
Low Country stock was imported to improve the native English breeds. The shorthorned cattle of the east coast seem to have been a breed new to England and were
probably introduced from the Netherlands in the 17th century; they are described by
Mortimer in 1707 as the ‘long-legged, short-horned Dutch breed of Lincolnshire and
Kent’. In Charles I's reign the breed of draught horses was improved by the
importation of strong grey Flanders mares. The old black English horses of what was
known as the ‘Fen breed’ were much improved early in the 18th century by the
importation of six mares sent over from Zeeland by Lord Chesterfield, and Derbyshire
took the lead in their successful breeding and other midland counties followed. In
dairy-farming the Dutch taught us the arts of fine butter- and cheese-making.
The main improvements in implements came in the 18th century, though Plattes is the
first to mention the drill. A much more modern and scientific form of plough was the
short, light, Dutch or Yorkshire plough, which was doubtless a development of the
‘Dutch bastard’ of the preceding century and was also a swing plough, but constructed
on principles brought from Holland. A machine for winnowing was introduced from
Holland about the middle of the century and improved by the father of William Marshall
the agriculturist.
In the 17th century the Dutch were noted for their horticulture, and there is every
reason to believe that under the guidance of the 17th-century writers who were
familiar with Dutch practice a great improvement took place in English gardening.
Gardening, both ornamental and kitchen, was scarcely known or, at any rate,
systematically practised in England before the time of Elizabeth. The formal fashion
which was then introduced from Holland flourished exceedingly and has not yet quite
died out. A further impetus to horticulture was given by the religious refugees from the
Netherlands; for many of them who came over to practise industrial callings were also
skilled gardeners. A great craze for growing and speculating in bulbs sprang up in
Holland in the 17th century and reached its climax in 1636; English practice in the
growing of bulbs was then dictated by that of Holland, and this has been the position
ever since. As an addition to the fruit-garden the modern, large red strawberry was
evolved from large varieties introduced from Chile and Carolina by way of Holland in
the early 18th century; about the same time the Dutch red currant came to be
esteemed above the English sort.
7. 3.
A considerable group of words are terms for agricultural implements, tools, and gear
of various kinds.
Hack (13.., Cursor M.), a tool for breaking and chopping up, variously applied to
agricultural tools of the mattock, hoe, and pickaxe type; the word is not found in OE. or
ON.; perhaps ad. M.Du. hacke (in Kilian hacke, Du. hak), hoe, mattock, pickaxe, chop.

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