The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-03-21
Land Owners in England and
France.

The total number of landowner!
in the United Kingdom has alread,
been shown to be under 100000. O
these five hundred and twenty three
peers own between them one of the
total area of the three countries ex
elusive of immortal wastes and woods
of which they may be possessed
1900 persons own about two thirds
OF the whole area, averaging 10000
acres each, and 10000 persons OWL
about three -fourths, averaging 5000
acres each. Dividing the owners oil
lands into four classes, there are 5.
600 large propretors averaging 10,
600 each; 10000 medium sized pro-
prletors or sGuires, with from 500 to
1000 acres each; 50 600 persons
owning from fifty to five hundred
acres each, and 1900 persons own
ing less than fifty acres each. The
proprietors of these classes vary very
much in the three countries. Tn
Scotland more than half the land
consists Of mountain and moor, of
very little agricultural value, and
held in immense blocks. The re
naming half is owned by a very
small number Of persons-lhe class
es of yeoman and peasant proprie-
tors do not exist there. The same
must be said of Ireland, where, not
withstanding the effects of the en-
numbered estates act, under which.
since 1913, upwards of one-sixth Of
the country has been sold, the mum
Der of land owners is most couspicu-
ously small. In England the mum
Der is proportionatcly larger than n
the other two countries. The class
of .eoman still exists in some parts
of it, and there is also certain num-
Der of smaller proprietors. These,
however, cannot be ranked as class
OF peasant proprietors. The small
proprietors are for the most part in
the neighborhood of towns, where
they consist in villas, market gar
dens. or other small plots.
In France an area Of about half as
large again as the United Kingdom
owned by nearly 100000 proprie-
tors of agricultural land, of whom
100000 Of peasant farmers OVID
one third Of the whole area, with
what result is every day becoming
better known and more fully recog.
nized 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
but this IS equally ohsery-
iht when comparing the large farms
IF France, Of which there arc more
,}an 10000. with the large iarHs of
his country. As compared with the
small farmers Of France, hiring the
and Of others, the small owners IN
luestionably are vastly better in
very respect, aud they hold their
'wn beside the large farmers. There
nay be some defects in the system
If small owners; the process may lie
'arried too far in France; bat at
east it has raised the status of the |
over classes there, has almost abol- !
shed alperlsm in the rural districts
md has endowed the people with
uch universal habits of thrift as are
almost unknown in the people of the
anne class in this country. 1t is not
he fact, as commonly stated, that
he present proprietors of France are
oaded with debt; the average mort
,age on these farms are known to be
10 more than ten per cent. on their
'alue; while the best evidence that
hey are able to accumulate money
S to be found in the fact that the
'easants have been the main subscri
'ers to the great loans which have
eec raised in France, and that at
he present time the French debt to
he amount of fl,O0O,O0O,OOO of our
honey is held by 100000 of per-
ons, while British consuls to the
mount of G70O,000,oOO are held by
OF more than 100000 persons. It
ill be said, of course, that the eli
late and soil of Fyanre differ from