Small 

 Holdings 



and 

 Allotments. 



many saving families whom the small farm would place in a 

 position of independence, and if any means could be found for 

 increasing these small farms, I feel sure they would be found 

 a benefit and a ^source of strength to the country. For holdings 

 of a smaller size the district is unsuited. There is not a market 

 for garden produce, and anything less in the way of tillage 

 land than would maintain a pair of horses would be conducive 

 to poverty rather than wealth." 



SELKIRK. Mr. Elliot writes : "I have been a member of the 

 Small Holdings Committee of the County Council for many 

 years, and I am not aware of a single application coming before 

 that Committee for land either for small holdings or allotments. 

 This, indeed, is not to be wondered at, as the agricultural 

 labourer with a wage (including his house, garden, &c.) of 22s. 

 a week and without any responsibilities is in a very different 

 position from what any small holder could possibly be in the 

 county." 



Mr. Linton writes : ; ' There are a number of small holdings 

 in this district and a ready demand when any are vacant. A t 

 the same time the nature of the soil and distance from markets 

 hinder them being profitable. The want of such may con- 

 tribute in a small degree to the decline in agricultural popu- 

 lation." He remarks that the expense of building stands in 

 the way of any increase of small holdings on commercial lines. 

 " The old style of cottage," he says, "might be put up for !"> 

 or 20, not counting labour, whereas the present class of house, 

 as built by the principal landowner in the district, cannot be 

 put up under 200 or 250, the better style costing 400 or 

 500; and one built lately for a farm steward cost nearly 

 800." As regards the economic status of the small 

 holder, Mr. Linton observes : "It seems proved by experience 

 that from 5 to 10 acres of arable land with a few sheep besides 

 on a hill grazing is not enough for a man with a family to live 

 upon. Within the last fifty years, land products have declined 

 very much in value, while wages of farm labourers have some- 

 thing like doubled, in the case of tradesmen nearly trebled, 

 It is therefore impossible to expect that men in small holdings 

 can be satisfied with the conditions which obtained forty or 

 fifty years ago." 



DIVISION VII. 



Counties of Argyll, Ayr, Bute, Caithness, Dumbarton, Dumfries, 

 Inverness, Kirkcudbright, Lanark, Orkney, Renfrew, Ross 

 and Cromarty, Shetland, Stirling, Sutherland and Wigtown. 



ARGYLL. There is said to be little demand for allotments 

 or small holdings, and no difficulty in getting land where 

 required. Mr. Andrew, referring particularly to Mid-Argyll, 

 writes : " Although the demand for smaller holdings, as they 

 at present exist, is greater than for the larger, still I do not 



