LANDOWNERS AND SMALL HOLDINGS 67 



probably lead to a large increase in the production of 

 vegetable crops, hampered in the past by the cost of 

 cartage. Hitherto regarded mainly as ' catch crops,' 

 they will, under the improved conditions of transit, now 

 be found more profitable. In any case they should 

 yield better financial results, and thus add to the general 

 prosperity of the fruit farm as a whole. 



There are, in fact, unlimited possibilities of further 

 development at Toddington, especially in the supple- 

 menting of ' large ' by ' small ' scale fruit-growing. I 

 see no reason why Toddington should not, in course of 

 time, become a second Evesham, now that it has this 

 better rail communication. A more favourable locality 

 for a collection of small holdings, cultivated by capable 

 and energtic men, engaging in fruit production and 

 market-gardening, could hardly be found in any part 

 of England. 



Here, of course, the all-important question is the 

 point of view from which the land-owner would regard 

 such an idea, and during my visit to Toddington I took 

 the opportunity of discussing the subject with Mr. 

 Andrews. What he said confirmed me in certain 

 impressions (to which I shall revert later on in the 

 present volume, in connection with the subject of small 

 holdings) as to the difficulties likely to be encountered 

 in establishing, on a large estate, a colony of the type 

 suggested, when the whole responsibility is left on the 

 hands of the land-owner. Mr. Andrews, I found, was 

 distinctly sympathetic towards the small holdings 

 movement, but he felt that such undertakings should 

 be entrusted to syndicates or powerful combinations, 

 with capital sufficient to enable them to grapple with the 

 housing problem. So I ventured to put the following 

 question to him : ' Suppose that some intermediary 

 between yourself and the prospective small holders could 



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