IX 



FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURE 



THE intimate relation existing between forestry 

 and agriculture has been touched upon in a previous 

 article. 



The matter calls for some further brief elabora- 

 tion. Agriculture is one of the oldest industries 

 of the world, and forms the main industry of the 

 rural districts. But, unfortunately, in spite of its 

 unquestioned pre-eminence on the country-side, in 

 the areas where the poorer classes of soils predomin- 

 ate, such as in the mountain and heath lands 

 throughout these islands, for instance, agriculture 

 by itself cannot be made to give an adequate con- 

 stant wage to any considerable section of the com- 

 munity. On the comparatively small areas of 

 land which can be cultivated it affords a livelihood, 

 often a precarious livelihood, to the cultivator, 

 which enables him to support his family usually 

 in distressingly hard circumstances till they grow 

 up. One of his offspring subsequently carries on 

 the small farm. The others have to look elsewhere 

 for a living. In the past the large neighbouring 

 areas of what to all intent and purposes have 

 remained waste land afforded them no prospects 



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