158 OUR ENGLISH LAND MUDDLE. 



his part in the land system would tend to dis- 

 appear. With land coming more generally into 

 cultivation and a keen demand arising for labour, 

 the harsh agricultural employer would find it 

 necessary to better his manners or do without 

 workers. A system of tenant right could safe- 

 guard the tenant. The ignorant and careless 

 landowner would find both encouragement and 

 pressure to learn his business better when his 

 neighbours were making money out of their land. 

 The landowner who devoted an undue propor- 

 tion of land to purposes of sport and recreation 

 would call for more direct treatment. That some 

 land should be devoted to sport and recrea- 

 tion is all for the public good, whilst the nation 

 can afford it. An England cut all up into little 

 plots under crop is a rather dismal prospect. 

 But too much land is wasted in that respect. 

 Powers of compulsory resumption and a special 

 incidence of taxation could persuade many to 

 follow the example set by the Duke of Marl- 

 borough, who announces to the press that he is 

 cutting up his park for wheat farms. 



The English landlord, in fine, has a valuable, 

 perhaps even a necessary, part in the work of 



