n8 RURAL DENMARK 



of many State " housemen," whose dwellings were neat 

 in appearance, the roofs being tiled, thatched, or slated, 

 according to the taste of the owner. I observed that 

 all of these houses were surrounded by good gardens. 

 The land is light, and the holdings varied from 6 to 

 12 tondeland in extent. 



After driving a certain distance I visited a peasant's 

 farm owned by Mr. Sylvest Hansen, which consisted 

 of 1 8 tondeland, or about 24 acres, of good soil. Mr. 

 Hansen, who is not a State small-holder, bought it 

 from the Government at the price of 450 kroner (^25) 

 per tondeland, without buildings or stock. The house 

 and steading he erected himself at a cost of 7000 

 kroner (388). 



To my astonishment Mr. Hansen addressed me in 

 English. On inquiry I found that his knowledge of 

 that tongue was accounted for by the fact that he 

 had spent three years in England, one of them as a 

 labourer upon an estate in Essex, and two on a stud 

 farm in Yorkshire. He informed me that he went 

 abroad, not to make money, but to see England and 

 to find out how we farmed there. I regret to have to 

 add that he considered that " the land is better treated 

 in Denmark than in England, where so much is left 

 in grass." He thought, however, that farming paid 

 more in England, as there produce fetched a higher 

 price. In his opinion the State small-holders of the 

 neighbourhood were not flourishing. In order to live 

 they must work for others, as their holdings did not 

 produce enough to keep them. He considered that 

 10 tondeland was the minimum area on which a man 

 could exist on soil of the local character. 



Personally, however, he stated that he was getting 

 on very well, although the cost of his land had as 



