This example of cheap land is not quoted for the
sake of emphasizing the woes of the landlord ; but to indicate the chances of the farmer. I went over one large farm, in excellent heart, with promising crops of grain all showing a good plant, and found that the rent was 8s. an acre, including. of course, the big farm house and spacious outbuildings. The land is characteristic Norfolk barley land, and though not the best wheat land will, grow good enough crops and will produce very good sugar beet. The fields are very big and on the whole level and very easy and cheap to cultivate. It is, of course, true that at last year's prices barley would not pay to grow even on such land rented at so low a price, but I doubt whether the wide world offers the farmer a better chance. Should prices recover the opportunity would be golden. The trouble is that at the moment no one has the capital either to stock the land as it should be stocked or to buy the machinery, though machine makers are offering very generous credit to those who have more capacity and energy than capital.
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