THE RURAL PROBLEM 139 



Kent. 



Rent per acre. 30s. to 40s. (the latter for the best hop lands). 

 Wye and Romney Marsh, average 20s. 

 Marshlands, 20s. to 25s. 



Devonshire. 



Average rent, 25s. per acre. 



Farms of about 70 acres on the borders of Dartmoor (good arable 

 and pasture) at a rent of 10s. to 14s. an acre. 



In the South Hammers district Mr. Vosper estimated " that 

 from 25s. to 35s. per acre would be a fair average for best mixed 

 land of, say, half pasture and half arable, and from 15s. to 25s. for 

 the poor ordinary lands, according to quality." 



A farm of 400 acres between Honiton and Exeter was rented at 

 a little over 28s. an acre. 



Mr. Edgar Dudley, of Plymouth, said he had 15 years' experi- 

 ence in the West of England, and he put the present average 

 annual rental value of agricultural land in Devonshire at 20s. an 

 acre. 



A large landowner put the average rental of best lands at 25s., 

 and second-class lands at 17s. 6d. per acre. 



Somerset. 



Rents (according to the map), 20s. to 50s. an acre. 



Average rents, 20s. to 25s. 



Vale lands round Taunton, 30s. to 40s. an acre. 



Near Yeovil nice mixed grass holdings of 60 to 120 acres were 

 rented at 45s. to 60s. ; mixed farms of 120 to 1G0 acres, 35s. to 45s. 

 per acre ; large mixed farms, 20s. to 35s. per acre. 



Haselbury district, a farm of 534 acres was rented at 22s. 6d. 

 per acre. In this district even adjoining fields vary very much 

 in value ; thus some lying close to this farm were worth only 10s. 

 an acre. 



Dorsetshire. 



Rents, 10s. to 50s., or in valleys even 60s. per acre. 



Herefordshire. 

 Rents, 10s. to 50s. per acre. Good land, 25s. to 32s. per acre 



Worcestershire. 



Rents, 18s. to 30s. per acre. 



Rent for small holdings is much higher than for large farms. 

 Thus, in the Bewdley district a tenancy of 40 acres was let at 

 50s. the acre, while next to it lay one of 250 acres of similar land 

 that brought in but 20s. the acre. Another small holding of 24 



