191 1.] Small Holdings in Denmark. 565 



Although the small holder enjoys the full rights of owner- 

 ship, the common 'law has been modified in some respects. 

 Advantage of the benefits of the law can be taken only once 

 and for one holding only. In case of removal or letting of the 

 farm, the whole sum lent falls due without previous notice. 

 The holding must always be used for agricultural purposes, 

 and the stock must always be kept up and maintained in good 

 condition. In case of sale, the purchaser cannot take advan- 

 tage of the benefits of the law unless he himself can fulfil 

 the qualifications required by the law. The widow of the 

 owner. succeeds according to the law of inheritance; in the 

 case of a second marriage the husband must comply with the 

 qualifications. Lastly, the small holder has the special ad- 

 vantage of disposing of his property by will. 



Experience has shown that it is rather the married agricul- 

 tural labourer of middle age who takes advantage of the 

 benefits under the law. The large majority of small holders 

 belong to the agricultural classes, and it appears that in his 

 new role of owner the small holder still retains his character 

 as a labourer, as he works on the average for wages 155 days 

 out of the year. 



During the ten years 1900 to 1910, 5,092 small farms have 

 been established under this law. About ,£1,200,000 has 

 already been spent by the State in the creation of these small 

 farms, or £232 per farm ; and as the State borrows money 

 at 3! per cent., the annual loss is about ^9,000, or 365. per 

 farm. There are about 180,000 small farms (houses with a 

 holding of land) in Denmark, so that the number of farms 

 established under the law during ten years is not more than 

 2 8 per cent, of the total. 



Such are the efforts made in Denmark to keep agriculturists 

 and labourers on the land and to improve their lot. 



Naturally these new proprietors, who possess only a tenth 

 of the value of their property, would be very quickly ruined 

 by a fall in the price of butter and pork, especially if it 

 occurred at a time when they have to pay ready money. So 

 far by thrift and industry they have been able to make 

 their way, and it is to be hoped that they will do so in the 

 future. Up to the present the State, as creditor, has entered 

 into possession of only a very small number of these small 



