40 WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE 



and at a sale which I attended at Askrigg an 

 allotment of 40 acres of fair land without buildings, 

 which had cost 800 two years ago, was bought in 

 at 650. 



This seems due more to want of capital than any 

 desire not to possess land amongst the farmers. 

 Several small places which had come into the 

 market lately had been bought by local dealers and 

 middlemen who did not farm them themselves, and 

 did not make very good landlords. 



Rents are very high on the best land and smallest 

 holdings, reaching 3 and 4 an acre. The larger 

 farms run from l to 2, according to the type of 

 land and convenience of situation. 



Labourers and Small Holdings. 



There seemed to be an absence of very small 

 holdings, except in the neighbourhood of the larger 

 towns. Hardly any existed on which the men 

 worked outside for wages, and there did not seem 

 to be any great demand for this type. It seemed 

 possible for labourers who wished to do so to get 

 on to the larger holdings in time. This may be 

 partly owing to the high rate of wages, which 

 enabled thrifty men to save enough to make a 

 start. It struck me, however, as being to some 

 extent due to the nature of the Yorkshireman, who 

 seems to be endowed with more grit and thrift than 

 is often found amongst the agricultural class. 

 Amongst others who had begun as labourers, I 

 came across a big cattle and sheep dealer with two 



