i88 LAND REFORM 



lioldings dovetail in, one with another, and form 

 together a prosperous system of cultivation. But 

 it is the principle of ownership that dominates the 

 whole system and is the secret of its success. This 

 principle governs the rural economy of France. It 

 is the one which all agriculturists in that country, 

 without exception, recognize as the most effective for 

 getting the most out of the soil. What is equally 

 important — it is the principle that determines the 

 character of the land legislation of the country.^ 

 French writers vary slightly in their estimates of the 

 actual number of proprietors of agricultural land in 

 France. M. de Lavergne, one of the best authorities, 

 gives the approximate number as follows : — ^ 



50,000 great proprietors with average holdings 



of 750 acres .... =37,500,000 acres. 

 500,000 middle-class proprietors with average 



holdings of 75 acres . . . =37,500,000 „ 



5,000,000 small proprietors with average holdings 



of 7| acres .... =^7^^500^000 „ 



5,550,000 112,500,000 acres. 



The French Civil Code was issued by Napoleon 

 during the first decade of years of the last century.' 



economy. His book contains the most exhaustive arguments as to the 

 relative advantages of large and small farms, and also as to the social 

 and economic effects of the division of land in France. 



^ The present writer deals specially with France because he has 

 a more intimate personal knowledge of that country and of its rural 

 economy than of other foreign countries. His remarks, however, are 

 equally applicable to the other countries which have adopted the French 

 Civil Code. 



" "Economic Rurale de la France," M. L. de Lavergne. This is 

 reckoning the hectare at 2^ English acres. The exact equivalent is 

 2.471 acres, or about 2 acres, i rood, 35 perches. 



* Although the Code was issued by Napoleon, and called by his name, 

 its provisions were based on the "Code Rurale 1791 " of M. de Lamer- 

 ville, a name now forgotten, who was a Deputy of the Noblesse de Berri 

 to the States-General, and who was also a practical agriculturist. 



