In speaking of the economic aspects of Italian agriculture it is necessary to distinguish between North and South Italy. The northern part is the more progressive section. The agricultural and industrial methods prevailing there are es sentially the same as in other countries of West ern Europe, being characterized by the intensive cultivation, the use of modern machinery, and the employment of the best methods of irriga tion and fertilization. On the contrary, Southern Italy. though essentially an agricultural coun try, suffers from crude, primitive methods of cultivation. The Italian peasant is among the poorest in Europe. The prevalence of large es tates and the presence of tenants and hired laborers who cultivate the land are characteris tic features of Italian agriculture. No definite statistics are gathered on the subject, but it is estimated that the agricultural producers are made up of 40 per cent. 40 per cent. tenants, and 20 per cent. owners. The cultiva tion of the soil by owners is most common in Venetia. Other regions in which peasant pro prietorship is most prevalent are the northern districts of Piedmont and Liguria, and to a con siderable extent also the provinces of Rome, Abruzzi e Molise, Campania, Calabria, Apulia,.
and Potenza, and the islands of Sicily and Sar dinia.
The system of rent varies greatly in the differ ent regions, and often in the same region, but• it is almost always some form of grain or share rent. Only in a few places is the cash system well known. Sometimes the owner not only sup plies the land and hears the burden of the taxes. but in addition furnishes the stock, implements, and seed. and also sometimes free house-rent, in which case the bulk of the product goes to the owner. Indeed, the owner much more commonly has a share in supplying the requisites for the running of the farm than is the case in America. According to some systems. however, the renter supplies some er all the requisites and sometimes pays a portion of the taxes. The rent period varies in length with the different systems, but is most often short.