42 OCCUPYING OWNERSHIP 



holder to conduct his operations to the best 

 advantage. Landlords do not care to let their 

 land for this form of cultivation, unless in- 

 demnified against the very large compensation 

 which might be incurred if the holdings were 

 given to crops of this description ; and small- 

 holders can hardly be expected to embark on 

 a heavy capital investment in fruit, asparagus, 

 celery, and other valuable crops — an invest- 

 ment that may represent the savings of many 

 years — unless they can be certain of obtaining 

 adequate compensation in the event of it being 

 necessary to leave. For this reason the ex- 

 tremely prosperous and important "peasant" 

 class have failed to make an appearance in 

 this country, although the time is over-ripe 

 for their arrival. Advocates of "occupying 

 ownership," which is the only possible form of 

 tenure for a small- holder, often base their 

 policy on the argument that the "sentiment 

 of ownership " induces a man to produce very 

 much more from the land he occupies. This 

 is true to a point ; but there is also a very 

 much more material reason : — the sound 

 common sense of the average small farmer 

 which tells him just how far he can risk as a 



