THE STATE SMALL-HOLDINGS 69 



Leaving Mr. Larsen's house, we proceeded to 

 another State small-holding near by which belongs 

 to Mr. Anders Andersen. Mr. Andersen was away 

 from home working for somebody else, so we inter- 

 viewed his wife. She told me that they came into 

 occupation of the holding five years ago. It was 

 bought with the house and implements, but without 

 stock, for 6100 kroner (^"338) by aid of a State loan. 

 The former owner was also a small-holder, who could 

 not get on, either because he was not hard-working 

 or sufficiently intelligent. Mr. Andersen first saved 

 a little as a labourer, then took up some land, and 

 afterwards moved on to this holding, which is larger. 



His wife informed me that she liked the place, 

 and that they were getting on fairly well. At the 

 time of our visit, however, she was somewhat 

 depressed, as two of their pigs were ill with cramp, 

 which to them was a very serious matter. Their 

 stock consisted of four cows, a calf, and five pigs ; 

 but having no horse they were obliged to hire one 

 for ploughing. She said sadly that they wanted a 

 horse very much indeed, even if it were only an 

 Iceland pony, such as many of these small-holders 

 use. The harvest had been good, and they had three 

 stacks of corn, also a nice piece of roots. 



Their house was smaller than Mr. Larsen's, con- 

 sisting of two rooms, with a granary adjoining that 

 could be turned into dwelling space if necessary. 

 This they did not need at present, as they only had 

 one small boy at home. There was a cow-house 

 for four beasts, and the usual piggery. I asked if 

 the drinking well were not somewhat too near these 

 outbuildings, and was told that it had been cemented. 

 When the same question was put to another small- 



