COLONISING CROWN LANDS. 93 



and in the place of sheep are the shining faces 

 of little children. It is remarkable that this 

 entire estate of nearly 1000 acres, with houses 

 valued at over £8000, should be managed by 

 a Parish Council consisting mainly of working 

 men. 



It is a land of opulent farmers, who know 

 how to turn over to the best advantage the 

 rich fenland soil, and it is significant that so 

 much land round the Wash becoming derelict 

 should have been left to small holders to 

 bring to a condition of prosperous fertility. 

 The rural area of Spalding is one of the few 

 really rural districts of England which has 

 considerably increased its population. In 1801 

 the population was 10,751, to-day it is 23,497 ; 

 and it is a district of small holdings. 



Driving through the village of Moulton, a 

 figure was pointed out to me astride a black 

 horse. It was that of a fine old man in a 

 long brown shabby coat reaching down to 

 his muddy gaiters. On his head was a black 

 felt wide-awake hat, which crowned a face 

 tanned with the sun of many summers and 

 bearded with white hair reaching down to the 

 bottom of his waistcoat. He looked the part 

 he played in life — the patriarch of a large family 



