Small 

 Holdings 



and 

 Allotments 



72 



limited, and whose requirements as to building accommodation 

 make it extreme^ doubtful tliat they could make sufficient out 

 of the produce of a smallholding at prevailing prices to pay an 

 adequate rent to cover the heavy outlay that would be neces- 

 sary." It is not considered that the lack either of allotments 

 or small holdings has contributed to the decline in population. 



DEVON. In some cases there is difficulty in obtaining land 

 for small holdings, and to some extent this is thought to have 

 contributed to the rural exodus. At the same time it is re- 

 marked that few labourers could enter on a holding without 

 assistance. The chief obstacle is not the want of land but the 

 cost of providing the requisite buildings. Mr. Chamier writes : 

 ' The increased requirements of local authorities, the general 

 demand for improved accommodation for man and beast render 

 it impracticable to provide these except at a loss. Small 

 holdings are in good demand; as a rule the tenants do well, 

 and the present tendency is to preserve the small holdings and 

 not to throw them into the larger ones as used to be the case 

 in the inflated times of thirty years ago." There appears to be 

 a great demand for small dairy holdings of 20 to 80 acres. 



CORNWALL. There is no evidence of any demand for allot- 

 ments that is not fully supplied. Mr. Thomas writes : " Farm 

 labourers generally have good gardens and mostly also twenty 

 .perches of land for growing potatoes, free of cost. Land for 

 small holdings is obtainable without much difficulty, but the 

 expense of erecting the necessary buildings is practically pro- 

 hibitive." Mr. Menhinick remarks: "I do not think there 

 would be much inducement to obtain small holdings in this 

 district, as it is so far from large centres of population that the 

 markets would not be good enough to make them a success." 

 Mr. Raw T ling states that there are many thousand of acres of 

 unenclosed land, much of which might be turned to very useful 

 account, and many labourers, if they could have financial 

 assistance on the security of their holdings, would be inclined 

 to try what they could do with it. 



DIVISION IV. 



(a.) Counties of Northumberland^ Durlunn, York (North 

 and York (IVc&t Riding). 



NORTHUMBERLAND. Allotments are but little sought for 

 except by townsmen or by carters who wish to grow a little 

 horse-corn or a few potatoes. Most of the labourers live on 

 the farms and have cottages with good gardens rent-free; 

 moreover, they get potatoes grown for them on the farm, and 

 generally a cow kept. 



Small holdings are stated to be in great demand and to 

 command relatively high rents, especially grass holdings. 

 The demand, however, is said by Mr. Marshall to come less 



