120 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



locality. I am afraid the majority of smallholders of 

 this type do not earn an income of much more than ^i a 

 week in cash, plus the home-grown food they consume, 

 and a rent-free dwelling. This cannot be considered an 

 adequate return for the " effort output " on the part of 

 the man ; in Denmark on similar holdings the small 

 farmer earns at least double this cash income. (These 

 figures are all on a pre-war basis.) 



The first step necessary to secure the potential develop- 

 ment of the small farm, whether on grass land or on 

 arable, is to organize the " bulk " handling of its produce ; 

 by the establishment of the creamery, dealing with the 

 distribution of whale milk, or turning it into butter, or 

 cheese, as the case may be ; of the hacon jactory and of 

 the poultry and egg depot — for pig and poultry keeping 

 should be important side issues on all small holdings. 

 The first object of collective marketing by means of the 

 factory, or depot, is to provide the machinery to under- 

 take all the business side for the smallholder. The small- 

 holder's whole effort should be to produce food by the 

 direct labour of his hands, and unlike the large farmer 

 he has not the time to attend markets, nor the business 

 training necessary to meet professional dealers on equal 

 terms. That is why the business side must be done for 

 the smallholder. 



It is quite useless to expect smallholders themselves 

 to start these factories and depots on a co-operative 

 basis. They have not the necessary capital or knowledge ; 

 and merely preaching co-operation is not effective. Far 

 better is the Australian method, where the Government 

 erects the factory, manages it until it is well estabHshed 

 and paying its way, and then encourages the small- 

 holders gradually to buy the Government out, and to 

 own the concern co-operatively. From the outset the 



