SIZE OF HOLDINGS 227 



to be able to bring up a family on 10 acres in this 

 district; but he did not know of anyone doing it 

 besides himself, except those nearer the town, who 

 went in more for market-gardening. 



Size of Holdings. 



Every tenant whom I interviewed seemed to think 

 the question of the size of the holding was a most 

 important point. 



The general opinion seemed to be that on this 

 class of land 



For a man in regular employment, who had to 

 pay for cultivation, 1 to 2 acres was quite enough. 



For higglers and other men using their holdings 

 as adjuncts to another trade, or for men doing catch 

 work, 4 or 5 acres were necessary to enable them 

 to fill up all their spare time profitably. 



For men with no other occupation 30 to 40 acres 

 were necessary for ordinary farming to make a 

 living and employ two horses profitably, and 10 to 

 20 if combined with market-gardening. 



But, when all is said and done, the individual 

 capacity of the holders is always a factor which must 

 influence any result. 



Methods of Co-operation. 



The elements of co-operation are beginning to 

 appear. The Allotments Club has been turned 

 into a Co-operative Credit Bank, and the deposits 

 now amount to 225. Four per cent, is paid on the 

 deposit money, and loans are granted at 5 per cent. 



152 



