6o 



Smallholders' d\\'elIinCTs. 



great interest during tlie war, partly on account of the difficult situation 

 as regards food supplies which was created by the war and partly 

 owing to the social disturbance that occurred during and after the war. 

 There is a lively interest amongst the leading men of the country for 

 the question of attaching a larger number of persons than before to the 

 work of cultivating the land and for the securing of more livable condi- 

 tions for the cultivator of the soil. 



During the war a separate office was established in the Departe- 

 ment of Agriculture with the object of working for an extraordinary in- 

 crease in agricultural production, especially of products which could di- 

 rectly serve as food for the nation, such as corn, potatoes and vege- 

 tables. In the course of 1917 — 18 (mainly in the latter year) the 

 area under corn potatoes etc. (See page 9) was increased by one- 

 third, chiefly through the ploughing up of artificial meadow. 



At the same time an energetic campaign was started on the part 

 of the authorities of the State for an increase in new-cultivation and for 

 the colonisation after the war of the comparatively extensive uncultivated 

 waste-lands in the Kingdom. 



By a resolution of Parliament of the 2nd November 1920 new re- 

 gulations were adopted for the giving of State grants, whereby the 

 new-cultivators and colonists are ensured considerable support from the 

 public funds. In this connection there have by the Act of November 



