29 



He has seeded down abonfc sixty acres of hia arable land, 

 and now only thirty acres out of 500 are arable. Ten acres 

 are laid ont in allotments, and forty acres are kept in hand, 

 which coald be let without difficulty at 30s. an acre. With the 

 exception of these forty acres all his land is let. Two farms 

 consist of 130 and 120 acres respectively ; the remaining eight 

 are let in small holdings of from fifty-six to four acres. The 

 incumbent has expended l,500i. on the improvement of the 

 glebe. The rent of 460 acres is 6001. in 1886, not counting 601., 

 the estimated rental of the land, in hand. Upon the old rental 

 there is a loss of 34-01. a year. But there can be no doubt that, had 

 the incumbent not been a man possessed of experience and 

 capital, the loss would have been infinitely greater. " It is 

 almost certain," said the glebeowner, " that unless I had been 

 in a position to make this outlay tke glebe would have become 

 comparatively valueless." 



In many instances the rental of glebe farms has dwindled 

 almost to nothing. Those who have obtained tenants are 

 scarcely better off in point of income than those whose land is 

 unlet. (1) A benefice consisted of 123 acres of glebe, 10 pasture, 

 the rest arable. In 1875 the rent was 2201. a year. For the 

 seven years ending in 1885 the average income of the clergyman 

 was 4:51. gross, or, deducting a charge to Queen Anne's Bounty, 

 251. (2) A second living was, in 1880, of the net value of 445Z. 

 The income was derived from a glebe of 283 acres. Now, in 1886, 

 the net value of the living, after deducting rates and taxes, tenths, 

 and a charge to Queen Anne's Bounty for the repair of the 

 chancel and for farm buildings, is 28?. a year. (3) A third 

 clerical income is derived from the rent of 210 aci'es, chiefly 

 arable, let in two farms and eight acres laid out in allotments. 

 In 1880 the land was let at an average rental of 32s. an acre. 

 For three years the two farms were thrown on the parson's 

 hands. During that period he had, at past seventy, to turn 

 farmer and cultivate the land himself. Not only did he lose the 

 rent but nearly 1,000?. of private capital. Now, in 1886, the 

 land is let at 15s. an acre. But the glebe is now charged with an 

 annual sum for principal and interest on a loan raised for drainage 

 purposes of 221. ; and this year the incumbent was obliged to 

 give back to one of his tenants 271. 10s. Thus the living which 

 in 1880 was worth 3SU. has now dropped to 1801.— 221. — 

 271. 10s. =130?. 10s. (4) In a fourth case the income of a 

 family living in private patronage is derived from a glebe of 

 474 acres of strong wheat-growing land which is now compara- 

 tively worthless. A thousand pounds has been expended within 

 the last twelve years upon the improvement of the glebe. In 

 1874 the gross rental was 905?. and the net value 641?. In 1886 

 the gross rental was 364?. and the net value 130?. (5) In a 

 fifth case 328 acres of glebe land was formerly let at a rent of 



