SUFFOLK AND NORFOLK 7 



two-thirds of the agricultural area, have had much the 

 same history as in Essex. 



Things began to go down from 1875, and went from 

 bad to worse, unpropitious seasons and progressive 

 impoverishment of tenants deteriorating the soil, and 

 making recovery more and more economically im- 

 possible. 



The losses on the light land, which only high prices 

 brought under cultivation, are only less heavy. Mr 

 Fox gives particulars of 38 farms, comprising 4741 

 acres, which were totally abandoned at the close of 1894, 

 and thinks there may be many more. 



He adds, " Many predict that a considerable quantity 

 of the very heavy and very light land must go out of 

 cultivation after Michaelmas 1895. Even where farms 

 are let, much of such land is practically uncultivated, 

 and used as rough sheep runs. Its -value is put at is 

 an acre or less. The deterioration has been progressive, 

 less labour being employed, the land getting foul, and, 

 less stock being kept, fertility has been decreasing. 



" There has been an enormous depreciation, both in the 

 letting and selling value of land, especially the latter. 

 Rents have fallen anywhere from 50 per cent, to nothing 

 at all. Land, where saleable at all, has sold at nominal 

 value, less than the cost of the buildings in some cases. 



" Again, things have gone badly with Suffolk, mainly 

 because, with rare exceptions, the Suffolk soil is not 

 suited for producing, at any rate, the best quality of 

 pasture. It is difficult to grow anything else but cereals 

 on a considerable proportion of it." On many estates 

 there is practically no return at all, on most it would be 

 impossible for owners to keep up buildings and repairs 

 ujiless they have other resources than the rents, while 

 among tenant farmers there is widespread despair, and 

 even on liberally managed estates there have been practi- 

 cally no applications for farms. 



In Norfolk, as in Suffolk, there has been disastrous 

 and persistent falling away from a high standard of pro- 

 ductivity, and of prosperity ever since 1875. The 

 features of the decay are also similar. With the excep- 



