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A Unionist Agricultural 



Policy 



The following memorandum has been prepared 

 by a number of Unionists, in and out of Parlia- 

 ment, and is an attempt to formulate a definite 

 eo and comprehensive policy for the development 

 of British agriculture. 



I. Actual and Potential Development of 



British Agriculture 

 The annual production of food in Great Britain 

 is ,£15 1,000,00c 1 There can be no doubt that 

 3 the output can be greatly increased, if a sound 

 agricultural policy is pursued. In the year 1908, 

 1,673,000 men and women were engaged in 

 agriculture in Great Britain. Of this number 

 500,000 were occupiers, and the remaining 

 1,173,000 were permanently employed as agri- 

 cultural labourers. This means that 36 persons 

 were employed per 1,000 acres of cultivated area. 2 

 If we compare this figure with the amount 



1 The sum given is the value of the produce actually sohl, and does 

 not include the food produced and consumed on the holdings. 



2 These figures are taken from the Report on the Agricultural Output of 

 Great Britain, 1912, Cd. 6277. 



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