MEANS OF ACQUIRING LAND 



same returns. Thus it is that a good credit sys- 

 tem is the best means of precluding the presence 

 of the tenant problem. 



The safety of these institutions is insured by the 

 fact that they are district associations. Each in- 

 stitution operates only within a very limited and 

 well defined field, so that the officials are able to 

 know the men and the land values throughout 

 the district. 



The good effect of this credit system is evinced 

 by the fact that, in 1895, only 16.42 per cent, of 

 the farms of Germany were composed entirely of 

 leased land; and only 12.38 per cent, of all the 

 land included in farms was leased land. Indeed, 

 Germany is a nation of landowning farmers, 

 while in France 47.2 per cent, of the cultivated 

 area is occupied by tenants, and in England the 

 landowning farmer is rarely found. 



Tenancy in Germany is largely among the occu- 

 piers of the very large and of the very small 

 farms. This is shown in the following table : 



TABLE 7. PERCENTAGE OF THE FARMS OF VARIOUS SIZES 



IN GEPMANY WHICH WERE COMPOSED SOLELY 



OF LEASED LAND, IN 1895. 



Under 5 acres 19.91 



5 to 12.35 acres 3-54 



12.35 to 49.4 1-97 



49.4 to 247 acres 4.64 



247 acres and over 25.68 



Not only is the percentage of tenancy low, but 

 the statistics fail to prove any important change 

 231 



