Agricultural Organization. 263 



practically no instance of such aid having been given to distributive 

 or industrial societies. 



Sir Horace Plunkett was the first to state clearly the limitations 

 of Government action in the organizing of farmers and to formulate 

 a policy for co-ordination between a State department and a voluntary 

 ag-eucy. For this reason the Irish movement, which has always 

 maintained its original theory, has been the subject of much study 

 on the part of inquirers from other countries. Briefly stated, this 

 policy consisted in the creation of two bodies, a State Department of 

 Agriculture for the giving of technical instruction in the production 

 of crops, and a voluntary organization whose business it would be — 

 working hand in hand with the State department — to instruct farmers 

 in the principles of combination for business purposes. In the words 

 of Sir Horace Plunkett, " State action was desired to evoke and 

 supplement, but not to provide a substitute for organized self-help." 



While Germany is by no means the most thorough-going example 

 of a State-aided movement in Europe, organization, with Government 

 assistance, initiative, and control, has there been carried to a high 

 pitch of efficiency. A masterly memorandum,* written by Sir Thomas 

 Middleton, on the condition of agriculture in Germany as compared 

 with that of England, where until recently organization was lacking, 

 brings out some significant facts, viz. : — 



1. The ascendency of the German has been gained in the past 

 forty years. 



2. The soil and climate of Germany are less favourable to agri- 

 culture than those of Britain. 



3. The German farmer now produces about the same weight of 

 cereals and potatoes per acre as the British farmer, but much greater 

 weight per 100 acres of cultivated land. The German produces about 

 the same weight of meat, and nearly twice as much milk per 100 acres 

 as the British farmer. The German feeds from 70-75 persons per 100 

 acres of cultivated land, the British farmer feeds from 45-50. 



4. The actual methods of tillage adopted in the growing of corn, 

 potatoes, etc., in Britain are not inferior to the methods adopted in 

 Germany. The difference in production is chiefly due to the circum- 

 stance that in Britain more than two-thirds of the cultivated land is 

 now in grass', while in Germany it is less than one-third. There has 

 been a slight decrease in the area ploughed in Germany ; in England 

 and Wales the area annually ploughed decreased by about 26 per cent, 

 during the forty years prior to the war. 



5. German land is mostly tilled by peasant owners; British land 

 by tenants. The German depends to a great extent on woman labour, 

 provided by the families of the occupiers. Wages are relatively low 

 in Germany, and rural industries help to provide winter employment 

 and tend to cheapen summer labour. 



6. Much attention has been given to organizing production from 

 German soil. The credit system is well adapted to promote good 

 farming. Co-operation is largely resorted to. Education has been 

 well developed. Statistics have been created to provide leadership. 



7. German economic policy in recent years has favoured agricul- 

 turists, who have benefited partly from the higher prices resulting 

 from tariffs and partly from the steadying effect which tlio kncwn 

 ]:olicy of the Stnte lias had upon the industry. 



* Recent Development of German Agriculture, pub. 1917. 



