39^ A Spanish System of Estate Management, [aug., 



of the soil can be placed under three heads : (i) Direct culti- 

 vation by the owner himself by means of day-labourers paid 

 a fixed wage or receiving a certain share of the profits. 

 (2) Cultivation by the tenant, the latter paying over a part of 

 the produce obtained ; and (3) Cultivation by the tenant, the 

 latter paying a fixed rent for the usufruct of the soil, whatever 

 his system of cultivation may be. 



My modest efforts have been directed towards a combina- 

 tion of these three systems, according to the nature of the 

 land and the crops, by means of the direct intervention jf 

 the owner, facilitated and supported by this combination. 



The first group is formed of fields where, by reason of a 

 lack of rain, recourse has to be had to irrigation from rivers 

 and springs, and of fields which the tenant devotes to the 

 production of crops for his own use and that of his live stock, 

 and for which he pays a fixed rent per acre. The second 

 group compi-ises the larger areas under the regular crops, 

 such as vines, olives, oranges, &c., the crops of which 

 are gathered at regular periods. These, not being consumed 

 by the farmer himself, are sold either immediately or after 

 some preparation, and form the real source of profit. Finally 

 the third group embraces the general work of the estate, and 

 the work in connection with certain crops which are all paid 

 for by the owner by means of fixed wages. The combination 

 of these three systems on the same estate under certain special 

 conditions has given very satisfactory results, combining the 

 interests of the proprietor and the tenant, while allowing the 

 former a continued and amicable intervention in the whole 

 estate, an intervention which is well received by the tenant, 

 and thus constituting a harmonious whole for the welfare and 

 satisfaction of both. 



On the estate referred to the tenant cultivates three or four 

 acres of irrigated land, for which, together with his house, he 

 has to pay a fixed annual rent. He also cultivates a larger 

 area planted- with vines, olives, and carobs (cereals are not 

 cultivated in this part of Spain except on irrigated lands). 

 The tenant occupies these lands on condition that he cultivates 

 them according to certain fixed rules, to which he is obliged 

 to conform absolutely, and also uses the ploughs and other 

 implements furnished by the owner. The tenant must defray , 

 all expenses of cultivation and harvesting ; the crops are I 



