126 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



and an implement shed, cheaply constructed in wood, 

 cost £120. The good three-bedroomed and parlour 

 cottage cost ;£225 ; fencing and water (laid on from a 

 main close by) £2^ — total ^^370. This equipment could 

 not be provided to-day for less than ,^2000. 



This holding is an interesting example of the applica- 

 tion of Danish methods to a small holding in the eastern 

 counties ; and the gross yield, with profit per acre, is 

 largely in excess of that obtained from the usual small 

 holding on similar land in this country. But it shows 

 what can be done. After four or five most profitable 

 years the Danish tenant returned to Denmark ; the 

 present holder is an Englishman who has been in posses- 

 sion for two years, and is doing as well as his pre- 

 decessor. 



Expensive machinery ought to be owned co-operatively 

 and serve a group of holdings ; only so can its economic 

 use be secured. Much nonsense is talked about all the 

 holders wanting the machine at the same moment. In 

 practice, where this system is properly worked, the 

 results are satisfactory ; and it means that the small 

 farm can thus be placed on a par with the large farm 

 in regard to up-to-date machinery. It would be unwise 

 to forecast the profits derivable from farming during 

 the coming years. But this can safely be said that, as 

 far as labour is concerned, the smallholder will be in the 

 best position because he is independent of outside 

 labour. 



THE MEDIUM-SIZED FARM 



So much for the economy of the small holding ; we 

 will now consider that of the medium-sized farms — 

 those of 100 to 300 acres in the eastern half of England. 

 One finds that many of these are under-capitalized and , 



