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Publications of Interest to Agriculturists. 
value in the social and economic condition of the parish, but they are not 
yeomen or peasant owners in the true sense of the terms. If this be the 
condition of a rural parish in Kent, a county once renowned for the number 
and wealth of its yeomen, what must it be in other parts of the country 
where large properties prevail ? 
Further on, referring to the same parish, he says : — 
Several cases have occurred in the same parish in which men attempting 
to make a living out of small holdings have failed, and have been compelled 
to fall back into the ranks of labourers. 
In considering the results of the present system, he admits that 
they are in many cases excellent, both as regards the farmer and the 
labourers, and says : — 
Under this system of comparatively large farms and large ownerships, 
English agriculture has undoubtedly attained a high excellence, and has 
developed an industry of farming on a large scale of great economic 
importance. 
He considers, however, that the system is antagonistic to the 
“ democratic principles of modern times,” which demand a greater 
approach to independence and equality and the opportunity of rising 
in the social scale, and that it is among the most important causes 
of the exodus of the better class of labouring men from the rural 
districts. 
As regards this latter point, it must be remembered that the 
absorption of the country population in towns is a phenomenon of 
modern life not peculiar to this country, but one which has been shown 
to be taking place in countries where the system of land tenure is 
far removed from that of England, and that, therefore, it is by no 
means clear that it is in any way due to the land tenure which 
prevails here. The extension of small holdings, which would 
certainly cause a lessened demand for hired labour, is more likely 
to increase than to check the exodus of labourers from the country. 
In considering the effect of recent land reforms, Mr. Shaw 
Lefevre has rather under-estimated the results of the Settled Land 
Act. It is certainly not the case that “the sales of settled land 
have not been numerous as yet.” The contrary is shown by the 
very considerable number of cases which have arisen under the Act 
and been dealt with by the Chancery Division. The cases so dealt 
with are those only in which a legal difficulty has arisen, and form 
a very small proportion of the instances in which the Act has been 
made use of ; and we venture to say that there are but few settled 
estates throughout the country in which more or less land has not 
been sold under the provisions of this most useful piece of legisla- 
tion. 
With regard to allotments, Mr. Shaw Lefevre freely admits the 
considerable increase in the number of such holdings which has 
taken place since the passing in 1887 of the Allotments Act by the 
late Conservative Government, though he rather regrets that they 
