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CHAPTER VIII. 



CONSTITUTION OF FARMING. 



THE second cause of the agricultural prosperity of Eng- 

 land is generally attributed to large farming ; but here, 

 again, ideas on the subject are much exaggerated. 



The soil of Britain is not more largely farmed than 

 largely held. No doubt there are very large farms, just 

 as there are very large estates ; but these form by no 

 means the majority. There is a multitude of farms under 

 the middle size, which would pass for such even in 

 France ; and the number of small tenants is infinitely 

 greater than that of small proprietors. It is reckoned 

 that there are not less than two hundred thousand far- 

 mers in England alone, which gives an average of sixty 

 hectares (150 acres) for each farm. In certain parts, such 

 as the plains of Wiltshire, Dorset, Lincoln, and York, 

 farms of several hundreds, and even thousands, of hectares 

 are not uncommon ; but in other parts, again, as the 

 manufacturing districts, those of ten and twelve hectares 

 are the most common. In Cheshire many are below ten 

 acres, or four hectares. Of these two hundred thousand 

 farmers, about one-half cultivate their farms themselves, 

 with the assistance of their families. In Scotland the 

 number of farmers exceeds fifty thousand, and in Ire- 

 land seven hundred thousand. 



In France we have the equivalent of Ireland in our 



