LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
SMALL FARMS AND AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS. [To THE Borrolt or THE "13PEcTATOZ.,"]
Sin,—On February 27th, 1885, you published a letter on this subject, giving an account of a conversation between a land- lord and a labourer about a small farm. The sequel to the story may now be told. The labourer finally refused the offer of the twenty-two acre farm, and it was let to a small man who makes thatching and hay-tying his principal busi- ness. As this man does not pay his rent, nor has he yet settled for the covenants, I fear the end of it may be that the landlord will eventually have to let it to the large farmer. The labourer with the £100 took a sixteen-acre farm last Michaelmas, belonging to a small owner, who, by-the-way, prefers to let it rather than occupy it himself. The previous tenant had it about twelve years, and succeeded fairly well. I have just seen the labourer, and asked him how he likes farming. His reply is, that he wished he had never taken the farm, and that he would be better-off if he had never taken it. I found him working, helping in thrashing, on another farm, and he said he had to work and earn all he could from other people, and seemed to think that should not be one of the conditions of his getting his living now he had the farm. My own opinion is that if he does not succeed, it will be from want of knowledge. I am told that he bought his cow and every- thing else too dear ; and when I tell him that most of the small firms hereabouts were formerly held in connection with other trades, such as wheelwrights, tanners, and others that have died out, and that the former occupiers succeeded because they did other work besides their farms, be does not look as if he believed me.—I am, Sir, &c., P.S.—One word about allotments. Two labourers have for this last year handed over their allotments to a farmer with- out the landlord's knowledge or consent. He has fifty-three allotments of half-acres. They are always offered, and have generally been let, to labourers in the first instance. They are now held as follows :—Two small farmers hold 7 ; two black- smiths, 5 ; the miller, 3 ; the shopkeeper, 5 ; a publican, 2; a baker (woman), 2 ; a carrier (woman), 2 ; two gardeners, 3 ; the postman, 1; two bricklayers, 4 ; a carpenter, 1; two widows (who employ others), 2 ; bond-fide labourers, 16 ; total, 53.
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