Large and Small Holdings. 
13 
It appears that in 1875 the average size of English farms 
was 57 acres ; it is now GO. In Norfolk the average size of 
a farm in 1875 was given as 56 acres ; it is now or, 
speaking roughly, it is an increase of 10 acres in ten jears. In 
the Eastern, North-Eastern, South-Eastern, and East Midland 
Counties of England the average holding is a trifle under 
70 acres; in the West Midland and South- Western it is about 
58J acres ; and in the Northern and North- Western, 48| acres. 
This shows that the smallest holdings are situated where the 
agricultural population forms the smallest part of the community, 
and it points to the conditions under which small farmers can 
alone compete in this country on equal terms with large farms, 
viz., closeness to markets and the ready sale of garden and 
special products, and the possession of some other trade. 
Major Craigie mentions two rather singular facts. During 
this long spell of agricultural depression there has been a large 
migration of country labourers into the towns ; but it is not 
always the counties which have the fewest small holdings that 
have lost most labourers. The other point recorded is that 
wages are cheapest in counties where there are most allotments. 
This is only natural, for labourers who have cheap and comfort- 
able cottages and good allotments are not often tempted to 
migrate for higher wages. Another reason may be that, where 
good wages are earned, the labourer cannot afford the time to 
cultivate much land : the produce does not pay him. 
I do not wish to quote many statistics, but the following 
table, extracted from the same paper, will show at a glance into 
what sort of holdings the face of old England is now divided : — 
Holdings. 
Acres. 
Percentage of Area. 
9,988 
0-04 
286,526 
115 
1,219,663 
4-89 
20 „ 50 „ 
2,042,370 
8-60 
50 „ 100 „ 
3,285,350 
1319 " 
100 „ 300 „ 
10,285,988 
41-32 
300 „ 500 „ 
4,328,722 
17-39 
.500 „ 1000 „ 
2,697,794 
10-83 
735,138 
2-95 
24,891,539 
" It will be noted from this table that the greatest part of the surface is 
occupied by the medium-sized holdings of England. The area cut up into 
small holdings under 50 acres, and the area devoted to farms of 500 acres 
and upwards, are curiously enough nearly equal, and roughly the surface of 
England may be thus ma])ped out : — 
"In 294,729 holdings under 50 acres, there are 3,559,000 acres. 
