6o8 



Small Holdings on Crown Lands. [nov., 



The tests do not indicate that it is a better hay plant than 

 varieties already common in Britain ; but from the accounts 

 given of it, this variety would seem to be well adapted for 

 depasturing, and it may be recommended to the notice of 

 those laying down pastures for two to three years in the eastern 

 and north-eastern counties. 



The second report of the President of the Board of Agri- 

 culture and Fisheries on the management of the principal 

 agricultural estates belonging to the 



Small Holdings on Crown and under his charge as a Com- 

 Crown Lands. missioner of Woods is published in the 

 annual report of the Commissioners of 

 H. M. Woods and Forests, dated 29th June, 1908 (H. C. 203^ 

 price is.)- A summary of Lord Carrington's first report 

 appeared in this Journal, August, 1907, p. 278. 



The estates dealt with comprised at 31st March, 1908, about 

 62,810 acres, and of this area 4,187 acres was let for small 

 holdings and allotments as compared with an area of 993 acres 

 so let two years before. Of the present area 714 acres are used 

 as allotments of under 5 acres, and 3,473 acres are occupied 

 in 149 small holdings. 



Although in accordance with the principal object of the 

 transfer to Lord Carrington, his lordship's policy has been to 

 encourage the establishment of small holdings wherever 

 practicable, this policy is not being carried out with any 

 sacrifice of revenue nor with any undue disturbance of sitting 

 tenants. 



Consideration for sitting tenants necessarily involves in 

 some cases prolonged negotiation and some delay in obtaining 

 the land that is required, but satisfactory progress has been 

 made in the creation of small holdings, and with time there is 

 every expectation of largely increasing the number of small 

 holdings on the Crown estates. 



The aggregate ultimate rents of the 1,847 acres let in small 

 holdings and allotments during the past year amounts to 

 £3,112 10s. per annum, as compared with a total rent of 

 £2,566 10s. per annum, formerly paid. Some of the land formed 

 parts only of two large farms, and the rema'nder of those 

 farms was relet to farm tenants at improved rents, the result 



