TYPE OF HOLDINGS 297 



system is invaluable as an incentive to thrift and 

 industry, forming, as it does, a stepping-stone for 

 men who would otherwise have little chance of 

 ultimately getting on to the land. 



Type of Farming. 



The land is mostly in pasture, which can all be 

 mown for hay when the animals are turned out. 

 A strip of land is devoted to growing roots, 

 cabbage, etc., for winter use, and on the cottage 

 holdings is cultivated by spade labour. On the 

 larger holdings about one-quarter is arable, and 

 the rule is to consume all the produce grown. 



The stock kept are ponies, milking-cows, young 

 cattle, and pigs. The brood mares are either run 

 all the year round on the Forest, or are wintered 

 at a cost of Is. to Is. 6d. a week. The yearling 

 colts are sold for from 4 to 5. The Forest breed 

 of cows is very hardy : they live through the 

 summer mainly on the heather and rough grass of 

 the heath lands, and are fairly good milkers for 

 their size. Their chief merit lies in the cheapness 

 of their living. Butter is made, and the heifer 

 calves reared. A labourer without land can turn 

 a yearling out on the Forest, and sell it at calving 

 for a good profit, the cost of maintenance having 

 only been about 50s. for winter keep. Pigs are 

 very largely kept, and supply most of the manure 

 on the smaller holdings. 



The chief feature of all the holdings is the large 



