190 Large and Small Holdings 



corn-growing farmers is thus hardly workable in practice, however 

 possible and desirable it may appear in theory. And even if it were 

 practicable, it would only lessen and not abolish the superiority of the 

 large holding. 



More important, however, than the declining business of corn- 

 production are those branches of agriculture whose profitableness 

 is now continually increasing, namely stock-farming and market- 

 gardening. The weakness of the large farm in these spheres cannot 

 be abolished, since the large farmer can never obtain that quantitative 

 and qualitative intensity of labour which is native to the small holder 

 working for himself. The only question is whether the small holder 

 can in any way counteract the advantages, various though not 

 decisive, possessed by the large farmer. Little as co-operation can 

 do for the small corn-grower, it is full of promise for the small holder 

 in these other branches of agriculture. Two facts will suffice to justify 

 this general statement. 



In the first place it is since the decay of corn-growing and the 

 great development in these other spheres that agricultural co- 

 operation has really begun in England. The movement cannot be 

 dated back beyond 1901. It is true that individual societies were to 

 be found earlier 1 . But their number was very small compared to the 

 growth which has taken place since the systematic activity of the 

 Agricultural Organisation Society began. The object of this society, 

 which is in the main a copy of the Irish organisation created by 

 Sir Horace. Plunkett, is precisely to develop co-operative action 

 throughout English agriculture. It owes its origin and effectiveness 

 to the interest taken in it by certain men who have proved their faith 

 in the cause by the energy they have devoted to it and the pecuniary 

 sacrifices they have made for it. At their head stands the well-known 

 agriculturist Mr R. A. Yerburgh, M.P. But the highest recognition 

 is also due to the services of the Secretary of the Society, Mr T. 

 Nugent Harris, who with untiring enthusiasm has achieved success 

 after success in the introduction of co-operative action into agriculture. 

 The A. O. S. has recently received a grant from the Board of Agri- 

 culture for its work of furthering co-operation among small holders. 

 It is of course a great centre of propaganda. Its first work was to 

 organise farmers in certain localities into Co-operative Societies, in 

 communication with the Central Society in London. The branch 



1 According to the Second Annual Report of the Agricultural Organisation Society ', 

 p. 31, there were in 1902 eight Co-operative Societies for the sale of eggs and poultry, six 

 for dairy-products and six Agricultural Societies for Co-operative Purchase. 



