126 THE AGRICULTURAL CLUB. 



to such places as Deeping St. Nicholas (parish) and nineteen 

 parishes round Spalding, Lines. 



From 1881 to 1891 the population had decreased 2,282, but 

 from 1901 to 1911 showed an increase of about 1,500, due largely 

 to the development of allotments and small holdings in that area. 



Burwell, Cambridgeshire, is another village where a Crown farm 

 of 917 acres was divided up among small holders in 1906. That 

 farm in 1905-6 was managed by one of your expert agents for 

 the Crown at a Loss, and showed a loss over the three years it 

 was run by the manager. It was then divided among 80 tenants. 

 The result has been more labour on the land ; more produce from 

 it ; more cattle, pigs and poultry ; a number of new houses 

 were erected ; and the traders had more and a better class of 

 customer, and with more money to spend. There the census 

 returns showed the population decreased in 1871 to 1881 from 

 2,106 to 1,949 ; but from 1901 to 1911 it had increased from 

 1,974 to 2,144. In other words, you had lost 157 from 1871 to 

 1881. You gained again 170 from 1901 to 1911. That may 

 not be a sensational move upwards ; nevertheless, it is in the 

 right direction. 



The same is true in other districts. 



The small holding has also assisted wages long before the 

 Labourers' Union had been established in many districts. 



The small holder has a second string to his bow, and he is 

 not forced to work for some one else for a low wage ; and as he 

 does not need to employ men regularly, he can afford to pay 

 the men a higher wage for the days he does employ them. This 

 has a tendency to help the average wages upwards. I have no 

 prejudice against any particular system or scheme ; but I 

 believe, if you desire to create a genuine interest among the 

 workers, you must give them a chance to become something 

 more than a mere day labourer for another man. I know many 

 of them work long hours, and work hard, but that is because 

 of the handicap of high rents and heavy rates imposed upon 

 them. They would rather do that and be free to work when 

 they like, and have a day off when they choose without having 

 to ask some one else if they may. 



It is only the theorist who cycles past them in the summer 

 evenings, and sees them hard at it at eight o'clock p.m., calls 

 them land slaves, worse placed than labourers. But the small 

 holder smiles, he knows better. He knows a few hours extra on 

 his holding at a special time among weeds will save him weeks 

 of work and worry later, and give him free days to use as he 

 likes ; and the labourer who leaves work at five o'clock envies 

 the small holder who works not by the clock time but by the 

 seasonal demands of his growing crops. He knows no clock 

 time, he seldom looks at his watch, he wastes no time watching 



