The Strategy of 

 FARMING, PAST AND FUTURE 



The events of the last three years have, to a con- 

 siderable extent, if tardily, drawn people's attention 

 to the fact that they are dependent upon agriculture 

 for much the larger part of their food, but I very 

 much doubt whether the majority of people realize 

 how great a fight has to be waged before the farmer 

 can win food from the land in sufficient quantity to 

 meet the demands of a district that is at all closely 

 populated. 



May I for a few moments draw your attention to 

 the elements of the fight? In daylight we find our- 

 selves moving in and surrounded by the rays of the 

 sun, which form the motive power of the process of 

 food production; we have underfoot the land, which 

 is the laboratory cum manufactory capable of using 

 this motive power in such a way as to promote full 

 plant growth. There are two great armies wishing 

 to secure the services of the sun's rays and of the land, 

 namely, certain plants and man. These plants have 

 the natural desire to live, to reproduce themselves, 

 and, when dying, to leave all they possess to their 

 heirs. It is a fact that all they have to leave is strictly 

 limited to their own dead bodies; but that is not their 

 fault, and it happens that this residuary gift is of such 

 great value to their descendants that it quite satisfies 

 their wants. Man, on the other hand, wishes to secure 



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