4 8 



Large and Small Farms in Prussia. 



In the case of the 63 farms described in the report, the net 

 profit per unit of area (excess, per unit of area, of income over 

 expenditure) has been calculated, and this has been adopted as 

 a criterion of the most suitable size of farm. The farms of 

 25-250 acres have yielded a net profit equivalent to approxi- 

 mately 2 is. 6d. per acre; next come farms of under 25 acres 

 with 19s. 4d. ; and, lastly, farms of over 250 acres, on which the 

 net profit is equivalent to only 14s. 6d. per acre. There has 

 thus been comparatively little difference in the return from farms 

 under 250 acres ; above this, however, the returns show a 

 distinct falling off. The slightly decreased returns from farms 

 under 25 acres, as compared with those of from 25 to 250 acres,, 

 is attributed, not directly to the small size of the farm, but to the 

 comparatively large number of hands engaged on such farms — 

 there is often insufficient work to fully occupy the farmer's, 

 family. 



A calculation of the interest obtained on capital shows the 

 three sizes of farms in the same order, thus : farms of 25-250 

 acres returned approximately 3 per cent., farms under 25 acres 

 approximately 2*6 per cent., and farms over 250 acres only about 

 2*2 per cent. All the farmers on the 63 farms described are 

 also owners of the farm, and the capital on which the interest 

 has been calculated includes — to use English terms — both land- 

 lords' and tenants' capital. As the farms have in each case 

 been charged with the actual value to the farm of the services 

 of the farmer and his family, the interest obtained represents the 

 financial results of money invested in farming. Although a few 

 solitary farms have returned a very satisfactory interest on capital 

 (one, the best, a highly-farmed farm of approximately 300 acres,, 

 having given a return of 6*5 per cent.), none of the three classes 

 of farms — large, medium-sized, or small — has returned what 

 may be regarded as a fair rent ; in fact, had these farmers been 

 in the position of tenants, the majority of them would be farm- 

 ing at a distinct loss. The profits stated on page 49 have 

 suffered no deduction for rent ; they are the combined profits 

 of owner and occupier. This report would indicate, then, 

 that farming in Prussia is not more remunerative than farming 

 in England. 



Interesting, though, as the author says, not new, are the 



