390 
Cutting Beech Woods. 
down timber trees of 20 years of age and upwards by such a limited owner 
is waste. (3) That such waste is not excused because it may benefit the 
other trees or saplings, nr may cause seeds of timber trees to germinate in 
the woods. (4) That there is no e.xception from the common law on this 
subject in favour of the limited owner of what is called a “ timber estate.” 
(5) That a custom to control the common law in this respect must be 
nothing less than an immemorial custom to commit such waste. (6) That 
there is no evidence in this case of any such custom. (7) That the usage 
proved is only that owners not impeachable of waste have adopted a mode 
of managing the woods which would be waste on the part of a limited 
owner impeachable of waste. 
The majority of the Court being in favour of the judgment of the 
Court below, the appeal was dismissed. 
An appeal from the above judgment was presented to the House 
of Lords, but has been compromised. 
S. B. L. Deuce. 
SMALL HOLDINGS IN CORNWALL.^ 
It is not the purpose of this paper to discuss the provisions of any 
recent Act of Parliament, but rather to assign some reasons in favour 
of the general principle that small agricultural holdings may 
advantageously be made more numerous. 
During the last twenty years there has been a large increase of 
population in the towns, but a decrease in tlie rural districts ; the 
last census showing the process to be still in progress. Obviously 
this is a matter of national importance. It implies that yearly a 
larger quantity of food is needed ; also that the number of food 
producers is lessening. 
If we refer to our Import Returns we shall find that the impor- 
tation of almost every article of food is increasing at a rapid rate, 
but that the principal increase is in wheat, flour, and dead meat. 
So long as our present commercial supremacy is sustained and 
our trade continues to expand, there may not be any serious incon- 
venience arising from this state of things ; but whenever our trade 
declines and our purchasing power is diminished, or if from any 
cause our foreign supplies are curtailed, the nation at large will 
* The writer of this paper is favourably known to us as winner in the farm 
competition of 1890 of the first prize in Class III. (farms over 40 and under 
100 acres. (See Journal, Third Series, Vol. I., 1890, p. 812.) The Judges’ report 
on this farm is worthy of study. Of the farmer they say enterprise, dogged 
determination in surmounting difficulties, are his characteristics ; his success 
has naturally secured for him many followers. Yet this case is quite exceptional. 
Specially favoured by existing usage, the circumstances of the locality are also 
altogether favourable ; besides Mr. Lawry himself “ is one in a thousand I ” 
Few are the men in his rank of life with the same abilities, persevering 
energies, and shrewd intelligence, and rarer still are the occasions when such 
men confine their attention to a few acres of land. As a representative man 
closely in touch with the class recent legislation is designed to benefit w e 
gladly give Mr. Lawry’s paper a place in the pages of this Journal. — C, 
