96 



Large and Small Holdings 



this clearly, and also points out how contrary the movement was 

 to current traditions. "As regards small tenancies, the diminution 

 " has been chiefly due to the practice of consolidating farms which 

 " prevailed almost universally for a generation previous to the recent 

 " agricultural depression. This policy was formerly enjoined on the 

 "landowners on economical grounds. It was pointed out that the 

 "expense of keeping buildings in repair is much greater in proportion 

 " in small than in large farms, and that the employment of machinery 

 " and of the best agricultural methods is facilitated by the single 

 " management and cultivation of a large area. The contention was 

 " that small husbandry was barbarous and antiquated like the process 

 " of handloom weaving, and agriculture, like manufactures, should be 

 " carried on on a large scale and under the most scientific conditions. 

 " These views have been partly modified by recent experience, and 

 " many landowners and agents would gladly revert to the system of 

 "smaller farms, and they are doing so where it is practicable 1 ." The 

 same is true under still more recent conditions 2 . 



The statistics collected in 1895 show that the Committee of 1889 

 rightly interpreted the evidence before them. The following table 

 gives the figures of that year as compared with those collected 

 previously 3 . The number of holdings was : 



" Every landowner would be only too happy to convert his land into small holdings." So 

 also Mr Jesse Collings, ibid, qu. 50, 51 ff. Cp. also Shaw Lefevre, op. cit. p. 30 : " Many- 

 landlords have had reason to regret that they were induced in preceding years to consolidate 

 their small farms into larger holdings, and would gladly revert to times when a much greater 

 proportion of small holdings existed." Also Channing, op. cit. p. 297 : "There has been 

 a tendency to divide large farms. " 



1 Report from the Select Committee on Small Holdings, 1890, p. vi. 



3 Report on Small Holdings, 1906, p. 4. In face of the conclusions of this Report, based 

 on information from the most various sources, Dr Hasbach's statement (op. cit. p. 361), that 

 landowners continue to enlarge holdings, is quite incomprehensible. 



s The figures are taken from the official agricultural statistics (viz. the Agricultural 

 Returns). Those for holdings of i 5 acres in 1895 are obtained by adding the number given 

 in the Report for holdings " over i and not over 5 acres " to the number of holdings of one 



