266 RURAL DENMARK 



ever, that often enough what he has done is only to 

 sell some outlying property in a part of England where, 

 owing to local conditions, it happens to command an ex- 

 cellent market. Indeed one peer, whose auction I see 

 has not proved very successful, quite recently explained 

 this in the Press with a frankness that must have been 

 disconcerting to those who were offering him their sym- 

 pathy. If added up, also, the total acreage actually 

 disposed of to farmers, often by allowing most of the 

 purchase price to remain on mortgage, would be found 

 to be somewhat disproportionate to the attention that 

 it has attracted. 1 



Further, it is one thing loudly to announce the in- 

 tention of selling estates and quite another to carry 

 those sales through upon advantageous terms. Leav- 

 ing out choice sporting and residential properties, 

 my belief is that half the land of England is, and 

 for years has been, for sale, if only purchasers can 

 be found prepared to pay a price in any way pro- 

 portionate to what has been spent upon that land. 

 That estates should be put upon the market is no 

 new thing, since doubtless hundreds of the owners of 

 agricultural land are but waiting an opportunity to be 

 rid of that which only brings them trouble and anxiety 

 and comparative or perhaps actual loss. 



Since the above passage was written I observe 

 (in February 191 1) that the Marquis of Graham has 



1 " It is more than possible that the insecurity is by no means so wide- 

 spread as is made out, and that the recent changes of ownership have 

 been forced into a prominence that they do not deserve. There have 

 been some conspicuous instances of the break up of historic properties ; 

 but we doubt if the recent sales represent any appreciable fraction of the 

 land of the country, or are so much in excess of the changes of ownership 

 usually taking place as to justify any supposition that a new regime is at 

 hand." Agricultural article, " The Times" February 27, 191 1. 



