Page:Indian Journal of Economics Volume 2.djvu/195

 SIZE OF LAND HOLDINt$ 188 spiri of Hindu law and the spirit of Indian agriculture favor a wide distribution of the land and its cultivation by peasant-farmers, and ig is not in any way desired to suggest that the formation of large estates, worked on a capitalistic desirable for the basis, people would be more of this cormtry suitable or either [ron o its effective cultivation, even by existing methods. The distribution of the land amongst the peasants is such that a large and increasing proportion of them have not got an economic holding, and this presents a fandamenl obstruction to the introduction amongst them of improved technical methods organisation value of the calculated outturn and to cheapen to increase the its production It is not with a view to inerfere with the fundamental onception of the peasant-farme that any suggestions are made, but in oder to render possible the creation mt maintenance of small but coonomic holdings on which a peasant-farmer can take adequate advantage of the natural faciliti6s which exist, and improve his technical and economic outfit to an extent that will enable him to meet the competition of farmers in other countries, and so to and his holding intact maintain his for posterity. family in comfort It is with a view to make suggestions of this kind that I have drawn up three statements which I attach as Appendices to this paper:Appendix I, showing the extent of sub-division and fragmentation of holdings in this Presidency, and the disadvantages resulting therefrom; Appendix II, giving an account of similar phenomena in other coun- tries_ and the remedies float have been applied there; or economic qantity and far that the land has been way that in many cases grave parcelled out in such a difficulties are presented a social or economic point of view. All that I desire to make clear is that in this Presidenoy the principle o! sub-division and fragmentation has been pushed so