The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-03-15
LAND IN ENGLAND AND
FRANCE.

/
FRANCE.
The total number of landowners in the
United Kingdom has already been
shown to be under 100000. OF these
five hundred and twenty-three peers own
between them sne-fifth OF the total area
of the three countries exclusive of man
orial wastes and woods of which they
may be possessed; 5000 persons own
about two-t thirds of the whole area, aver
aging 10000 acres each, and 10000 per-
sons OWE about three-fOurth, averaging
5000 acres each. Dividing the owners
of land into four classes, there are 5000
large proprietors, averaging 10000 acres
each; $4,000 medium sized proprietors
or sguires, with from five hundred to
1000 acres each; $4,000 persons owning
from fifty to five hundred acres each. and
5000 owning less than fifty acres each.
The proportions OF these CLASSES vary very
much in the three countries. In Scot
land more than half the land consists of
mountain and moor, of very little agri-
cultural value, and held in immense
blocks. The remaining half is owned by
very small number of persons-the
classes of yeoman and peasant proprie-
tors do not exist there. The same must
be said of Ireland, where, notwithstand-
ing the effects of the encountered estates
act, under which, since 1S45, upwards Of
one-sixth of the country has been sold,
the number of landowners is most con-
spieuously small In England the num-
Der is proportionately larger than in
the other two countries The class of
yeoman still exists in some parts of it,
and there is also a certain number of
smaller proprietors These, however,
cannot be ranked as a class of peasant
proprielors. Such class does not exist
in England. The small properties are
for the most part in the neighborhood of
towns, where they consist in villas mar
ket gardens, or other small plots.
In France an area of about half as
large again as the United Kingdom is
owned by nearly $500, 600 proprietors of
agricultural land, of whom 100000 of
peasants farmers own One-third of the
whole area, with what result is every
day becoming better known and more
fully recognized in this country. The
industry and thrift of these peasant
owners are marvellous and spread their
effect through the whole society of
France. The gross farming produce per
acre of France may not be so great as in
England, but this is equally observable
when comparing the large farms of
France, Of which there are more than
10000, with the large farms of this
county. As compared with the small
farmers OF France, hiring the land OF
Others, the small owners unauestionably
are vastly better in every respect, and
they hold their own even be-
side the large farmers. There
may be some defects in the
system of small owners; the process may
be carried too far in France but at least
it has raised the status of the lower
classes there, has almost abolished pau
perism in the rural districts, and has en-
dnwed the people with such universal
habits of thrift as are almost unknown
in the people of the same class in this
country. 1t is not the fact, as commonly
stated, that the peasant proprietors of
France are loaded with debt; the aver
age mortgages on these iarms are known
to be no more than ten per cent. on their
value; while the best evidence that they