Political Economy and the Land 



at half-price. This market, however, has a 

 redeeming feature, namely : if a small holder can 

 get in he may hire a square yard or two of 

 flagstones in the open, on which to pitch his 

 produce, and stand there and sell it to passers- 

 by at retail prices for ready money, and thus 

 save probably 30 per cent, at the least. This 

 ought to be possible in every corner of London. 



" It is no exaggeration to say that the condition 

 of the markets is deplorable, from the market 

 gardener's and the small holder's point of view : 

 they appear to be conducted in the interests of 

 privileged individuals, who constitute a monoply 

 disastrous to the welfare of the workers on the 

 land. 



" From the point of view of the State, the 

 markets of London and the country, if well 

 organised with adequate root and branch re- 

 form, could have immense possibilities of wealth 

 for the State, and be well calculated to settle 

 spontaneously upon the land the large rural 

 population in comfort and prosperity. 



"Why are the home counties poor? 



" It has been stated that they lose ;^ioo,ooo 

 per annum by trading with their astute friends 

 in the London wholesale markets. 



" Let us see what ground there is for such 

 an assertion. Take the example of one crop, 

 concerning which a definite estimate has been 

 published, namely, the strawberry crop, valued 



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