24 THE RURAL PROBLEM. 



The proportion of labourers who can, apart from the Small 

 Holclmgs Act, become small holders or farmers varies in different 

 counties. In some parts of Devon and Cornwall where farms are 

 small as manj^ as 40 per cent of the farmers have been labourers, 

 or were the sons of labourers. But taking England as a whole, at 

 least 70 per cent, of the farmers are of farming stock, i.e., descendants 

 of men who have been employers in agriculture ; and it would be 

 rash to assume that the other 30 per cent, had been labourers, or 

 were sons of labourers. Many, perhaps most of them, are sons 

 of other inhabitants of the country-side, particularly of tradesmen 

 whose business is coimected with agriculture. As distinct from 

 farms, small holdings that have come into existence independently 

 of the Small Holdings Act, vary in number and proportion in 

 different counties, the proportion being high in such counties as 

 Cornwall, Chester, Lancashire, Holland Division of Lincoln, 

 Stafford, Cambridge, and Bedford, Avhere either dairying or market- 

 gardening fostered these holdings. 



Since 1908 the number of small holdings established by county 

 councils has also varied. In some counties the number of holdings 

 would provide opportunities for advancement for as many as six or 

 seven per cent of the labourers ; in others less than 1 per cent. These 

 holdings, too, tend to be more numerous in the market-gardening 

 and dairying districts. But not nearly all the old small holdings or 

 those recently established are sufficient to support a family, and 

 many of the old-established small units are connected with other 

 units to make a fairlj^ large farm. Taking the country as a Avhole 

 the Small Holdings Act has not provided opportunity to become 

 controllers of land for more than 3 per cent of the farm labourers, 

 even if all holdings were occupied by erstwhile labourers, which is 

 not the case. Perhaps some 4 per cent of the labourers can actually 

 become small holders, and a few become larger farmers. Also 

 about 2 per cent can become bailiffs or foremen. But in any case 

 not more than 7 or 8 jaer cent can rise to positions of control of land, 

 labour, and capital, while they remain in the industry ; and for 

 the majority of the remainder their positions and earnings are 

 fixed by the standard of the class which they attain by the age of 

 25 or 30 years. 



Unless new forms of organisation of agriculture arise the best 

 method of improving the labourers' j^rospect of rising in the social 

 scale will be to increase the number of small holdings. Wherever 

 possible they should be established in colonies of not less than 

 forty in number, so as to provide scope for various forms of 

 co-operative activity. But where it may not be convenient or 

 possible to establish colonies, one or two single holdings, each 

 sufficient to support a family under a type of cultivation suitable 

 to the soil and the market shoiild be established in each village. 

 These would set up an " agricultural ladder " enabling the enter- 

 l)rising workman to obtain control of land and capital in the industry. 

 But the majority of the labourers must find the solution of their 



