THE PLIGHT OF THE FARMER
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sir.,—Here is a rather different instance of the discouragement offered to agriculture in this country. I recently bought a small piece of land adjoining my farm ; the price was 2155, and I agreed to pay the vendor's legal charges. To simplify the small transaction I asked the vendor's solicitor to prepare the conveyance and act for me, too. The title was devised through a will and was quite clear, and no investigation was required ; and I expected that a fee of four or five guineas would meet the ease. To my astonishment I received a bill for 111 is. 6d. Of this 21 Is. 6d. represented disbursements, stamp duty, &c. ; the rest was asked for merely copying out a stereotyped conveyance. I offered seven guineas in settle- ment, as not merely fair but generous ; this offer has been refused. If I am compelled eventually to pay this rapacious charge, it will mean that, reckoning a normal rate of interest, this land will have to be worked for about eighteen months just to pay the costs of acquiring it, before I can get a penny out of it myself. What inducement is this to farm Y—I am, Sir, &c., A. B. Cox. Linton Hills, Welcombe, Butk, Cornwall.
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