Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-02-16
6a}&tt&,
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY l6, 1877.
French ana English Land Owners.

In France, says the Fortnis htiy Review, 40
area about hall as arg; again as the United
Kingdom i, Owned by nearly $500, 900 propri-
etors ci agricultural land, Of whom 100000
OF peasant farmers own oDe.third Of the whole
area, with what result IS every day becoming
better known and more fully recognized 10 this
country. The industry and thrift Of these
peasant owners are marvellous and spread lhri!
effect through the whole society of France.
The gross farming produce per acre Of France
may not be so great as 10 England, but this is
equally observable when comparing the large
| farms of France, OF which there are more than
| $50, ,000 with the large farms Of this country.
| AS compared with the small farmers OF France,
| hiring the land OF others, the small owners un.
qucstonably are vastly better 10 every respect.
and they hold their own even beside the large
farmers. There may be somo defects in the
system Of small owners; tho process may be
carried too lar in France; but at least it has
raised the status Of the lower classes there, has
almost abolished paupcrism in the rural dis.
tricts, and has endowed the people with such
general habits Of thrift as are almost unknown in
the people Of the same clasS in this country. 1t
is not the TACT, as commonly stated, that the
peasant propriettrj of France arc loaded with
debt; the average mortgages on these farms are
known to be no more than ten per ct. Oh their
value; while the best evidence that they arc able
to accumulate money, Is to be found in the fact
that the peasants have been the main subscrlb-
ers to the great loans which have been raised
10 France, and that at the present time the
French debt to the amount Gf Fl, 100000, 600
of our morey, is held BY 900 900 Of persons,
while British consols to the amount Of G10O,-
600 900 arc held by not more than $50 900 per-
sons. 1t will be said, OF course, that tho eli.
mate and soil Of France differ from Eogland
so much that DO comparison can be drawn be-
tween them. This may be admitted as regards
the central and southern parts CT France, where
the cultivation ri the rluc and olive IS
specially suited TO peasant OWDcrS; but l!s
northern and western provinces are 10 10 way
different from the greater part CT Eogand.
The garden Of Era1cc is uDqu,stonably Nor
mandy, the climate and sol OF which dif-
Ter in 10 essential quality from those CT the
south Of EDgand, and which especially rcsem-
bic such counties aS Kent aud Somcrsctsblre.
In Normandy there Is greater variety IN the
ownership Ot property lhan ~ any other part
0i France; large estates with rcsitcht owners
are numerous. but still more 50 are smal! prop.
critics; there are aD immcusc buubcr Vi peasant
proprcturs but they do not m0n0pOl!zc the
~
point cut the happi"st part 0! France, says
Monsicur dc Laveignr, Il should not hesitate
to select Normandy Population there in-
crcaScs slowly in proportion to wealth; while
its wealth ha; Increased uur.iold since 1889,
its population has increased BY onc-thrd only.
Ia many rural C0mnInCs there Is not single
paupcr. The case OF NUrmaudy Is especially
instructive, a. it shows what is the result oi
happy combination n every variety OF large
owucrS and small owners. "t iaDd iarmed by
tenants, ard Of peasants iarmlnS Their own
land In The more northern provinces oil France
property is even inora divided, and gives ad-
mirablc rcsuIts. though perhaps Ihc net pro:
duCe after taking IutO acc0nnt the nunber OF
cuirators IS 10. so srca:.
The total plumber If land owners III tie UGlted
Kingdom has bean -hOwi 10 bc u&dtr 2Oo.oO0'
Of these j2G peers pwi E"IWGcn them one
fifth OF the total arca u th2 !hrcc counIr!cs: cX
elusive o! manoriaI VASES and woods OF which
they may be possessed; 5000 persons own about
lgo thirds of The whole area avcragIGg lO,OOO
acres each, and 900 persons own abouttn7ee
lourths, averaging 1000 acres each. Diiidiog
the owuers OF land iO!o four classes there are
5000 large pruprict0TS, averaging lO.UOO acres
each; H., 900 medium SIZED prnrrlotors or Squrcs,
with from 500 10 :! UtD acres cach;J2 GUO persons
owning from 80 to 800 acres each and l@O,Voo
owning less than illy acres each. lho proper
tons of these classes Vary very much 10 lhc
three countries In Scotland more ,han han tie
land consists OF mountain and moor, OF very
little agricultural value, ana held 10 Immense
block. The remaining hail Is owned by very
small number Of persons; tn" classes OF ycoimch
and peasant prowlCtorS ito not exist thcre' nc
same must be sad Of Ireland, where, not"lth'
standing the effects Of the cncumDered estates
10 Il -t nttn