226 RURAL DENMARK 



during the last ten years has been very great. The 

 soil, which when taken over was often in bad condi- 

 tion, has been well cultivated, the value of the stock 

 (on their holdings) has been more than doubled, 

 and the buildings have been improved and where 

 necessary enlarged. Only an able body of housemen 

 {i.e. small-holders) could have attained to this result, 

 but a great deal has been done to improve this 

 class. The State contributes to their education at 

 the Housemen and other schools, and the Housemen 

 Unions, which are supported by the State, also do 

 good work by means of the general education of their 

 members. These housemen also receive grants to 

 enable them to travel for the purposes of study. 

 The land owned by the housemen is as a rule the 

 best cultivated and gives the best results. The cattle 

 and the pigs on these little holdings also return a 

 proportionately larger profit. The good results of 

 the establishment of these independent housemen 

 holdings will grow clearer year by year, and the 

 sums now laid out in the form of old-age pensions 

 and other contributions to the poor will correspond- 

 ingly decrease. Also the housemen will become more 

 prosperous, able to buy more goods and to pay more 

 in direct and indirect taxes. This system of small- 

 holdings also keeps people on the land who otherwise 

 would emigrate. Not the least advantage of the 

 scheme is that a healthier and a better generation 

 will spring from the small-holders than sprang from 

 the landless labourers." 1 



Surely this is very strong testimony to the benefits 



1 For the further views of Mr. Pedersen-Nyskov on this matter, 

 which reached me too late to allow of my commenting on them, see 

 Appendix D. H. R. H. 



