THE STATE SMALL-HOLDINGS IN DENMARK 483 



labourer, then took up some land, and afterwards moved on to this 

 holding, which is larger. 



His wife informed me that she liked the place, and that they 

 were getting on fairly well. At the time of our visit, however, she 

 was somewhat depressed, as two of their pigs were ill with cramp, 

 which to them was a very serious matter. Their stock consisted of 

 four cows, a calf, and five pigs ; but having no horse they were 

 obliged to hire one for ploughing. She said sadly that they 

 wanted a horse very much indeed, even if it were only an Iceland 

 pony, such as many of these small-holders use. The harvest had 

 been good, and they had three stacks of corn, also a nice piece of 

 roots. 



Their house was smaller than Mr. Larsen's, consisting of two 

 rooms, with a granary adjoining that could be turned into dwelling 

 space if necessary. This they did not need at present, as they 

 only had one small boy at home. There was a cow-house for four 

 beasts, and the usual piggery. I asked if the drinking well were 

 not somewhat too near these outbuildings, and was told that it had 

 been cemented. When the same question was put to another 

 small-holder, he replied he had not noticed that the water made 

 the pigs ill ! 



My general impression was that these people were not quite so 

 flourishing as the Larsens. It appeared, however, that they took 

 over their land in very bad order. Also Mrs. Andersen was evi- 

 dently much depressed by the sickness amongst her pigs. Still 

 Mr. Mortensen thought that they would get on well, as the man 

 was steady and reliable. 



Our next visit was to Mr. H. P. Nielsen of Tjaereby, a middle- 

 aged and capable man with a lame foot, who owns five tondeland, 

 which he bought with the aid of a State loan of 5000 kroner 

 (>^2 77), at a cost of 600 kroner (;33 5 s.) per tondeland inclusive 

 of the standing crops. He began with a private capital of about 

 1000 kroner (^55 8 s. 4d.), which he had saved as a labourer and 

 shoemaker, for he combined both callings. The house a good 

 one and buildings he erected at a cost of 3500 kroner (about 

 jCig4). Mr. Nielsen, who is a member of the Parish and other 

 local councils, informed me that he was quite satisfied with his 



