hours, but he will not work in an economical way,
and therefore will remain poor in spite of his severe exertions. The
peasant proprietors who still exist in Switzerland, Belgium, Norway,
Sweden, and some other parts of Europe, work almost day and night during
the summer, and they are very careful and saving; yet they seldom grow
rich, or get more than a bare living out of the soil.
Too frequently the peasant proprietor, if he is not very provident, runs
short of money after one or two bad seasons. He will then be tempted to
borrow money, to sell his timber, and other produce before it is ready
for the market, and thus run in debt. When his farm has increased in
value and would bring some rent, he will very likely mortgage it, that
is, give it by a legal deed as security for his debts. The mortgagee or
lender of the money then becomes part-owner of the land and capital, so
that the arrangement tends to take this form--
#Money-Lender.# #Peasant.#
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/----------------\ /-----------------\
#Land.# #Capital.# #Capital.# #Labour.#
66. #Tenure of Land in England.#. As agriculture becomes more a science,
farming will require greater skill, and larger capital, and the English
mode of land tenure will probably spread. In this system there is the
greatest division of labour, and different ranks of people have shares
in the business, somewhat as follows:--
#Proprietor.# #Farmer.# #Labourer.#
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/-----------\ /-------------\ /----\
#Land. Capital.# #Capital. Labour.# #Labour.#
The land is usually owned by some rich man, who likes to have large
estates, but does not wish to have the trouble of farming. In respect of
the land only he is a #proprietor of a natural agent#, and the rent he
receives is true rent; but there will usually be buildings, roads,
fences, drains, and other improvements, of which he is also owner; in
respect of these he is a capitalist, and the return he receives is
interest. The farmer is a man of knowledge and skill, with considerable
capital; he hires the land and its improvements from the proprietor, and
stocks it with cattle, carts, improved implements of all kinds, and then
employs day-labourers to do the manual work, labouring himself in
superintendence, in keeping accounts, buying and selling, &c. The
labourer, generally speaking, is
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