248 DESBOROUGH 



to have money in hand to invest. These plots are 

 now being sold largely for building sites, as the 

 town is rapidly growing, and the original purchasers 

 often get 200 per cent, profit on them. 



In 1894, 8|- acres were bought at 66 an acre, 

 and cut up into sixty-eight plots averaging 20 

 poles ; they were resold at about 80 per acre. 



In 1898 the Society decided to purchase an estate 

 of 408 acres with two sets of farm premises, and 

 containing iron ore. This was done mainly as an 

 investment for the savings of members, which were 

 going out of Desborough or into the post-office. 

 Seventeen acres only have been divided so far, the 

 land being valuable for working the iron ore. 



Many of the purchasers pay for their plots out- 

 right, otherwise payment is made by instalments. 

 A very common way is for a member to leave the 

 annual amount of profit credited to him towards 

 liquidating the cost of purchase ; in this way he 

 buys the land almost without knowing it. 



The purchasers are all artisans ; when in regular 

 work these men cannot manage more than 20 or 

 40 poles, but there is an increasing demand for 

 larger plots from the older men, who are getting 

 replaced by younger hands, and who, if it were 

 not for the benefits they receive from the cultiva- 

 tion of their plots, would be seriously handicapped. 



The plots are all cultivated for fruit, flowers, and 

 vegetables. Some of the holders put up glass 

 houses and go in for tomatoes, grapes, pot plants, 

 etc. The fruit is largely apples and plums, and 



