332 THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



upon such utilisation of all hours at his own discretion. 

 He takes advantage of every hour, every minute, of sunshine 

 or rain. He steps out, when occasion requires, during his 

 time of rest, to perform such or such little act of work which, 

 trivial as it seems in itself, is of decisive importance for 

 the saving or increasing of his produce, making the very 

 most of his land. There is no gainsaying the German con- 

 tention that small holdings, owned, make not only the happier 

 and more prosperous, but also the more intelligent husband- 

 man. The educating effect of small husbandry, which is 

 a point of considerable national importance — since it means 

 perfecting the large composite machine turning the Nation's 

 land to account — has already been referred to under the 

 head of ' ' Labour. ' ' Mr. Wibberley with his great experience 

 has laid it down that for occupying a new holding he would 

 ever so much rather have the son of a small holder, who 

 has become versed in all kinds of agricultural occupations, 

 than the son of a labourer, who merely knows " father's 

 job." A comparison between the large and small farming 

 districts in Germany makes the difference alike in produc- 

 tion and in intelligence in favour of the latter perfectly 

 clear. There is much more progress. There is a quicker and 

 prompter response to opportunities offering. There is 

 greater alertness of mind. Also home trade fares by far 

 the best where there is small ownership farming, which, as 

 observed, is a weighty consideration. German statisticians 

 furthermore will have it that in small holding districts 

 longevity is greater. Thus in large-farming Pomerania and 

 Posen the average length of life is fifty-six to fifty-eight years, 

 whereas in small-farming Rhineland and Westphalia it 

 is sixty-eight to sixty-nine. This appears to prove that, 

 howevei much " harder " petty owners' work may be 

 than paid labourers', it is not nearly as wearing. And the 

 difference between the two districts is really greater than 

 would appear from the figures quoted, inasmuch as Rhine- 

 land and Westphalia are strongly industrial provinces, 

 whereas Pomerania and Posen are purely agricultural. 

 Now Industry notoriously claims more victims by mortality 

 than Agriculture, 



