BEDINGHAM. DITCHINGHAM ^ THE FARMS 3 



would be more useful to them. Perhaps the same consideration 

 applies to a book dealing with the land. 



In all I am now farming 365 acres of land or thereabouts, of 

 which 261 are situated in this parish of Ditchingham, and 104 in 

 the parish of Bedingham, five miles away. Of the 261 acres at 

 Ditchingham I hire about no acres, and am therefore, as regards 

 this proportion of the land, a tenant farmer holding under three 

 separate landlords. This may seem a large amount of land to 

 hire, being considerably more than a third of the total acreage, 

 but the explanation is twofold. First, these pieces of land cut 

 into my own holding; and, secondly, as I find from experience 

 that it is more economical to farm on a considerable scale than on 

 a small one, it suited my purpose to take these acres as they came 

 into the market, rather than to disturb old tenants on other land 

 in my own possession in the parish. 



This no acres is rented, some of it at a high price (for the 

 times), and some moderately, the net total payable being 

 in/. \os., or about i/. an acre. But on the turnover of a farm 

 of this size even in/, for rent makes no enormous figure. The 

 wise people who are continually shouting into our ears that the 

 real remedy for agricultural depression is a further reduction of 

 rents are indeed very much mistaken. Let farming become once 

 more a fairly remunerative business, and we farmers shall not 

 grumble at a reasonable rent ; but let it remain in the condition in 

 which it has been for the last ten years, and, save in very excep- 

 tional instances, the abolition of rent altogether would not enable 

 it to pay a living profit. 



At Bedingham none of the land is hired, the farm, which 

 belongs to this estate, having been thrown upon my hands four 

 years ago. I might have relet it, but found out in time that the 

 applicant's capital was small indeed. As, but a short while before, 

 I had experienced the joys of such a tenant in another farm — at an 

 expense to myself of a loss of several hundred pounds — I declined 

 the offer, and took over the land. Perhaps it will be more con- 

 venient if I describe this place first. 



B 2 



