agriculturist is to hold his own with the foreign producer, it can only be by high farming, a large expenditure of capital, and great economy of labour — conditions of industry almost incompatible with the maintenance of unreasonably small farms. There has consequently arisen a desire on the part of both landlord and occupier to increase existing holdings, and when such a feeling prevails in the minds of the two parties chiefly interested, the tendency will not be arrested by legislation.
Fifteen years' experience in the management of property in Ireland has convinced me that the farmer of 20 acres at a fair rent makes a larger profit, educates his children better, accumulates more capital, and is more contented than the holder of eight or nine acres at the same rent, and that, at least, up to 30 or 40 acres, the advantage continues in an ascending ratio. Many advocates of the small farm* system would carry it higher, and almost every tenant on my estate is probably of their opinion. I am by no means disposed to
is always far short of the demand ; as is evident from the enormous difference between the salaries paid to such persons, and the wages of ordinary labour. The deficiency of practical good sense, which renders the majority of the labouring class such bad calculators — which makes, for instance, their domestic economy so improvident, lax, and irregular — must disqualify them for any but a low grade of intelligent labour, and render their industry far less productive than with equal energy it otherwise might be." — Mill's I J olit. Econ. p. 13 k
- I have placed in the General Appendix a few observations on the respective merits of small and large farms. — See General
Appendix, p. 333.
