THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE AGRICULTURIST 701 



authorities and at the failure of our public to appreciate the 

 immensity of the interests at stake. At present we do little 

 more than drift along ; no organised attack is being made even 

 on problems of urgency. 



Efforts such as are being made in this College are therefore 

 all the more praiseworthy. But students need to realise how 

 great a burden is cast upon them if they are to live up to their 

 opportunities and in order that they may in the end achieve for 

 agriculture the recognition and respect it merits as the one 

 necessary industry of the world during all time : the sole con- 

 necting link between us and the far-distant luminary which is 

 the mainspring of all vital activity upon the earth : 



. . . the great sun, 

 Girt with his mantle of tempestuous flame, 

 Glares in mid-heaven ; but to his noontide blaze 

 The slender violet lifts its lidless eye 

 And from his splendour steals its fairest hue, 

 Its sweetest perfume from his scorching fire. 



45 



