204 AGRICIJLTURAI. i:i)U('ATI()N IN Sr)UTII AFRICA. 



exercise a great attraction on large numbers of men and women 

 in every well-regulated, society. There is certainly no more 

 healthy calling than that of the farmer, and we should make 

 it our business as a nation to strengthen the hands of tillers of 

 our soil and rearers of our flocks. This we can do with con- 

 fidence only when we shall have made sure that our boys and girls 

 receive the proper education in our primary, secondary, and 

 agricultural schools, that will fit them for their future work on 

 the land. In order to accomplish this, we shall require properly 

 (|ualified teachers of agriculture, in addition to a thorough 

 reformation of or revolution in our present system of ])rimary 

 and secondarv education. 



The sooner we realise the importance and absolute necessity 

 of a suitable and thorough training for our future farmers the 

 better. We live in an age of keen competition in nearly all 

 branches of human activity, and also the farmer's struggle for 

 existence cannot be maintained with success unless he is properly 

 equipped with all that he needs. If you were to ask me. What 

 ire the most im]x")rtant re(|uirements that our farmjers need? 

 I would summarise my reply in the following brief terms : a 

 keen interest in farming, a good character, lots of common sense, 

 self-reliance, willingness to work, and, last but not least, a 

 thorough and suitable general and agricultural education. Given 

 these, caj)ital becomes of minor importance in beginning the 

 farmer's career, and without these capital will neither last nor 

 accumulate. 



If we do not properly traiji our own men and women, many 

 of them will be replaced by jiroperly trained i)eo|)le coming across 

 the seas, and our own people, thus replaced, will swell the ranks 

 of the already dangerously large number of poor whites in our 

 glorious South Africa, where man was not meant to want or 

 starve. I labour this point somewhat, because T realise its awful 

 seriousness to us of the present generation. 



Co-operation is the salvation of the small farmer, but only 

 when it is built on the two i)illars of self-reliance and mutual 

 trust. These again, and particularly the latter, are utoic generally 

 found amongst properly educated men who can think for them- 

 selves and realise their position, than amongst those who can only 

 take a personal and short-sighted view of their situation. For 

 promoting co-operation amongst our farmers the watchword 

 therefore again is suitable education, and enough of it. 



I have already mentioned the urgent need of properly trained 

 teachers of agriculture. These can now be trained at our Agri- 

 cultural Faculties. 



In conclusion I wish to oflfer some 



Criticisms .\nd Suggestions 



with reference to the foregoing. 



Our primary and secondary education must be so altered as 

 to suit the requirements of t^ie pupils for their 1)attle of life. As 



