INTRODUCTION 

 TO THE THIRD EDITION 



HAVING seen the independence, health, education 

 and prosperity that come from free direct use of 

 land, I ordered a large number of the first edition 

 of " A Little Land and a Living " sent to a list of leading 

 moulders of public opinion. Although I had not at that 

 time read the book, I knew that Mr. Hall saw " the Land 

 Question " and would bring it out in theory as well as 

 in the practice of those who might be induced to get back 

 to the land. 



The effect of the book, if I am to judge of its reception 

 by the press, from the letters that I have had, and from 

 the reports of those who have availed themselves of its 

 instruction, has more than justified the expenditure. 



The natural thing would be to have our cities sur- 

 rounded by small homes, each with its bit of garden; be- 

 yond that the truck farms; beyond that the pasture lands, 

 and beyond that again the forest and the wilderness. 

 Instead of this, our crazy system of taxation gives us wil- 

 dernesses in the heart of the city, the workers piled one 

 on top of the other in tenements, and the farmer usually 

 pushed to outlying lands where the difficulties and disad- 

 vantages of living are greatly increased. 



