48 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



have had in the past a race of intelUgent land- 

 owners who realised that they obtained more 

 rent from the small cultivators than from the 

 large farmers, and that to let their land to the 

 best advantage they must know, not only the 

 character of their tenants, their capacity for 

 work, but also on what terms a man without 

 capital (save his garden tools) can make a 

 start in order to win his own independence. 



We will take, for instance, Mr. Raymond 

 Webb as the typical Evesham land-agent or 

 steward. Acting on behalf of a family of 

 Evesham landowners, he will let an acre strip 

 to a man who is a hard-working gardener's 

 or farm labourer. Mr. Webb will probably 

 know the man's Christian name when he 

 applies for his plot as well as his working 

 capabilities. The applicant may, at this time, 

 be working for an employer, and if he applies 

 for two acres, Mr. Webb will probably tell 

 him that he cannot manage to keep two acres 

 clean while working regularly for a master. 

 *' When I see that you are doing your acre 

 well I'll let you have another bit somewhere 

 else," he will say to the man ; " and what is 

 more, to give you a chance, I shan't charge 

 you more than 30s. an acre for the first year 



