1908.] 



Small Holdings in Hampshire. 



89 



number, but that of 1907 would be proportionately high, many 

 acres yielding over 2,000 baskets each. 



The cost of railway carriage, commissions, postage, and 

 incidental expenses are approximately : London, 31^. per 

 basket ; Manchester, 4 j^. per basket ; Birmingham, 4^. per 

 basket ; Glasgow, 6|-i. per basket ; Edinburgh, j\d. per basket. 



The actual railway rate to the above mentioned towns at the 

 Company's risk would be respectively is. lid., 4s. iod., 3s. 4^. 

 8s. o\d., 8s. od. per cwt. Fruit despatched further north to 

 Aberdeen would cost as much as 9s. $d. per cwt. at the Com- 

 pany's risk, or 75. at owner's risk. 



Small Mixed Holdings. — There are in the county many 

 small mixed farms, generally in close proximity to the 

 large and moderate sized towns. The produce from these 

 holdings consists of milk, butter, soft or French cheese, 

 poultry, eggs, honey, fruit, vegetables and salads, all of which 

 usually find a ready local sale at remunerative prices. I have 

 known but few . failures in this particular class of holding, 

 when the cultivator has had a practical knowledge of his 

 work, is industrious, and thrifty. 



The rent paid for these holdings varies from £1 to £2 per 

 acre, according to soil and locality, although occasionally 

 fancy prices have been demanded for accommodation land. 



The amount of capital required to start a holding of this 

 type may be roughly estimated at about £10 per acre, up 

 to 50 acres. Many start with considerably less, but in such 

 cases the live stock is usually inferior in quality, the land is 

 not farmed as well as it ought to be, implements have to be 

 borrowed, and in consequence the holder is handicapped for at 

 least four or five years, however hard he may work. 



Many of these small holders are Army and Navy pensioners, 

 who are not entirely dependent on their holdings for a liveli- 

 hood. 



Watercress Growing. — In the villages of Old Basing, 

 Mapledurwell, and Overton, each of which is situated a 

 few miles from Basingstoke, the cultivation of watercress 

 for the London market is an old established business. 

 Although not so prosperous as in former years, it still affords 

 a means of livelihood for a number of small holders, though 

 as a rule the cultivation is on a large scale. When engaged 



