NEW VAIvUATION OF UXBUIIvT ON LAND 1 33 



pare the average rental value and market price per ha., according to each 

 valuation. These averages were as follows: 



^_^^ Valuation of 



1851 1879 ifo8 



frs. frs. frs. 



Average Rental Value per h.; 38 53 41 



Average Market Price per ha 1,276 1,830 1,244 



Let us now consider the particular situation of the six types of farms 

 compared : 



(a) Land of Superior Quality and Land Variously Cultivated. — -The aver- 

 age rental value and market price per ha. for this type of farms varied as 

 follows, between 1851 and 1908: 



Average Rental Value per ha 

 Average Market Price per ha 



The averages for rental value show a constant increase. In 1908, 

 indeed, there were only included in this group gardens cultivated for profit 

 and orchards, while in previous years, under the head of areas variously 

 cultivated there were included pastures, pools, marshes, peat moss bogs, 

 lagoons etc, of much less value. Under these circumstances, the comparison 

 can only have a limited value. We shall therefore confine ourselves to point- 

 ing out that, in a general way, the portion of the area of this group consist- 

 ing of gardens has really gained in value in the environs of the towns. 

 By way of exception, in some departments there has been a decrease in 

 value due to special causes : the want of opportunities for easy and immed- 

 iate sale and depopulation (Corsica and Basses- Alpes) , the disease of the 

 olive trees (Bouches du-Rhone), the sericicultural crisis (Gard) etc. 



The market price does not always vary in the same way as the rental 

 value. The chief reason of this is that there is a much greater demand 

 for the lease of gardens in the neighbourhood of towns than for the purchase 

 of them and consequently an increased rental value does not necessarily 

 entail a correspondingly increased market price. 



(b) Arable Land and Areas Valued in the Same Way. — The average val- 

 ue per hectare of arable land was in turn as follows : 



1851 



frs. 



Rental Value per hectare 42 



Market Price per hectare 1,479 



We have already explained with regard to the total rental values and 

 market prices that the considerable rise observ^ed in 1879 "^^^ followed 

 by a fall. This is again seen in the results shown for arable land, the value 



