RURAL ECONOMICS. 791 



Some of the evils of the tenant system are noted as soil exploitation and 

 speculation, and the lack of interest the tenant takes in schools, churches, 

 roads, farmers' organizations, etc. As a step toward correcting the evils and 

 enabling the tenant to buy land, the author suggests a better credit system and 

 a more economic means of marketing farm products and buying supplies. 



Tenant farmers and sales of estates committee (Rpt. Dept. Com. Bd. Agr. 

 and Fisheries ]_Gt. Brit.], on Position Tenant Farmers, 1912, pp. Jf2). — This is a 

 report submitted to Parliament by a special committee appointed to inquire into 

 the condition of tenant farmers in Great Britain and consider what legislation, 

 if any. on the subject is desirable. 



Among the findings of the committee it is noted that (1) as a rule, English 

 tenant farmers do not ask for leases but prefer to enter into a contract by which 

 the tenancy can be terminated by the usual 12 months' notice; and (2) there are 

 an abnormal number of estates being broken up and sold. The reason assigned 

 for this latter condition is the feeling of apprehension among the land owners 

 as to the probable tendency of legislation and taxation in regard to land; the 

 belief that land at present is let at rates below its present economic value; and 

 the fact that many agricultural estates are mortgaged and at present prices a 

 sale will often enable the owner to pay off the mortgage and retain an income 

 in excess of what he has been receiving as owner of the estate. 



The committee suggests that 2 years' notice instead of one should be required 

 to terminate the tenancy of any agricultural holding, and that a scheme of 

 state-aided purchase should be instituted. 



The tenant farmers' grievances, II (Economist, 7-^ (1912), No. 557//, pp. 

 Ji06, 407). — This article brings out the salient features of the report noted above. 



For the best results, should the tendency in Ontario be to group farms 

 into larger ones, to divide them into smaller ones, or to leave them at 

 about their present size? A. G. Mackenzie et al. (Ann. Rpt. Ontario Agr. 

 and Expt. Union, 32 (1910), pp. 75-78). — A number of discussions as to what 

 size farms in Ontario will yield the greatest net return are here presented. 



The size gf farm most generally adopted in ordinary farming is said to be 

 about 100 acres. Arguments are given to show that larger farms would be 

 to the economic advantage of the country, but the consensus of opinion seems 

 to be that 100- or 50-acre farms conduce to larger productiveness, profits, and 

 well-being. 



[Farm results for 1910], H. E. Cook et al. (Univ. Bui. St. Lawrence Univ., 

 5. scr., 1911, No. 2, pp. 87-107, figs. .'/).— This circular furnishes first-hand 

 knowledge as to the expense of labor and cost of material which has entered 

 into the various products of the farm, dairy, poultry, agronomy, and chemical 

 departments of the State School of Agriculture at Canton, N. Y. Itemized 

 statements as to cost, comparative yields, and profits of the leading crops 

 under various conditions are presented. 



A country truckers' association [in Maryland], T. A. Mereitt (Country 

 Gent., 76 (1911), No. 3065, p. 10). — The object of this association is to regulate 

 the methods of its members in the selling, preparing for market, and shipping 

 of their crops, and other matters of common interest. So far, decided ad- 

 vantages have been achieved in purchasing supplies, but little has been accom- 

 plished in the way of marketing crops, this partial failure being attributed to 

 the want of unanimity. 



The economic results of the specialist production and marketing of wheat, 

 .J. Mavor (Polit. Sci. Quart., 26 (1911), No. J,, pp. 559-675).— This article de- 

 scribes at length the incidents to the specialist growth of wheat caused by the 

 enormous European demand and the relatively high price which at present is 

 secured for it. Distinctions are made as to agricultural, industrial, and com- 



