RURAL HOUSING 17 



£2 Is. 7d. per acre, and from the grass land 

 during the same period 7s. lid. If we divide 

 the period into two portions, taking the first 

 twehe and the last six years — the second 

 period representing somewhat the recent agri- 

 cultural revival — the net profit during the 

 first twelve years from the arable land was 

 £1 14s. 3d. per acre, and from the grass land 

 8s. 7d. During the last six years, with the 

 prices of all agricultural produce increased, 

 results from the arable land were £2 14s. 9d. 

 per acre and from the grass land Gs. 6d." 



These remarks are singularly at variance 

 with the general practice of laying arable land 

 down to grass. It is satisfactory here to notice 

 that at last a small increase in the area of 

 arable land for the year 1912 can be recorded. 



The condition of the agricultural labourer is 

 a problem which would be solved automatically 

 by a revival of the industry and an increase in 

 the production of land. But although his 

 numbers have steadily depreciated, investiga- 

 tion reveals the extraordinary fact that there 

 are insufficient cottages for him to live in, and 

 that many of those that are in existence should 

 be condemned. In many districts anybody 

 but the agricultural labourer is to be found in 

 rural cottages — policemen, postmen are tliere. 



