232 WHISSONSETT 



The demand for the grass land was so great 

 that it was divided up into 17 lots, with post and 

 wire fencing. Four of the agricultural labourers 

 each had 1 acre of grass land and 2 acres of arable. 

 On the arable land they grew the ordinary cereals 

 and roots. They kept pigs at home for manure, 

 and those with grass fattened young stock in 

 summer. They sold their produce to the local 

 miller and local dealers. One of them was a 

 jobbing labourer and kept a horse with which he 

 ploughed, etc., for some of the others at a charge 

 of 8s. to 10s. an acre. He was of opinion that a 

 labourer in regular work could not manage more 

 than an acre profitably. He complained a good 

 deal of the small amount of labour employed by 

 the neighbouring farmers. 



The holdings at Whissonsett are practically all 

 adjuncts to other occupations. The one exception 

 is the largest holder of 28 acres occupying the 

 farm-house ; but I was informed that he found time 

 to assist his father, who, though now occupying 

 upwards of 100 acres of land, began life as an 

 agricultural labourer, and that he could not make 

 a whole living on his own land. The arable land 

 is poor, and the distance from any market or railway 

 is great, but the land lies conveniently near the 

 village, and the holdings are undoubtedly of great 

 benefit to their occupiers to work in with other 

 trades. Here, as elsewhere, the demand for a little 

 grass land was very great, and the supply was quite 

 unequal to the demand. 



