I 



NEGLECT OF IMPROVEMENTS I 27 



prosperous of the large estates, and especially where 

 the owner has considerable other resources. But there 

 is very striking evidence of extraordinary efforts on the 

 part both of owners of large estates in exceptionally bad 

 districts, and also of owners of small properties with no 

 other resources to keep up their farms, who have clearly 

 made enormous personal sacrifices to meet the necessities 

 of their tenants, and to keep their estates in working 

 order. 



Thus, on a large estate in Essex (13,000 acres), where 

 the net rental was still ;^7682 in 1881-2, the outlay on 

 buildings and repairs had risen from ^2020 in the former 

 year, to £3184 in 1887-8, and to ^^4690 in 1892-3. 

 When all the outgoings are deducted in the last year, the 

 sum left as net income to the owner is only ^^65 2 13s 9d, 

 or about is an acre. 



Again, in the South Midlands, Mr Pringle found, " on 

 going over the accounts of small properties, that efforts 

 had been made to maintain buildings and drain land to 

 the last possible penny." " Small landlords will submit 

 to anything rather than lose a tenant or farm their own 

 land." These small and helpless landlords are specially 

 selected as victims by the unscrupulous farm wreckers, 

 who " get all they can by reckless cropping in a year or 

 so, and then bolt." 



There is another side to this matter. The buildings 

 and cottages on many Essex farms are reported to be 

 wretched, and sheds and yards for stock keeping of the 

 most undesirable description. 



Mr Pringle remarks : " It is a pity that in the good 

 times, when Essex farms were paying high rents, so 

 little was done towards the equipment of estates with 

 substantial farm buildings. It is evident that what 

 cannot easily be done now, could, and I think should 

 have been accomplished then." 



Mr Rew says of North Devon : " The condition of the 

 farmhouses, buildings, and cottages is, on larger estates, 

 as a rule, good, though there are exceptions even there. 

 On the smaller estates the condition is generally in- 

 different, and in some cases very bad. On the best 



