Credit 



times three, paying by instalments, but always 

 in arrears. Numbers exist simply by the leniency 

 (or foolishness) of local merchants, and it is they 

 who ruin any widespread co-operative schemes. 

 Even if they become wealthier, procrastination 

 is in their blood, and they delay payment as long 

 as possible from habit, or innate perverseness. 



Another side of this question is that of the 

 deserving beginner. Small holdings are the nursery 

 of farming. Every one must have a beginning, 

 and the small men, of from five to fifty acres, 

 are nearly always short of capital. They are 

 honest, capable, and industrious, and can as a 

 rule be depended upon to pay their debts to the 

 last copper so that they can get a fair credit on 

 the strength of such an average performance. 



The merchant takes this into account, and 

 trusts them as far as his knowledge of each case 

 prompts him, rarely losing save by negligence, 

 for signs of coming default are visible in the 

 lower walks of agriculture. A business man can 

 proceed gaily with all appearance of solvency, 

 even affluence, and suddenly let his creditors 

 down, but nearly all the neighbours of a farmer 

 can see from afar impending disaster. Cattle 

 and horses get poorer, the soil is badly worked 

 and receives less manure; hedges, fences, and 

 gates fall into disrepair, weeds spread apace; 



133 



