INTRODUCTION. v 



the fluctuations of the years prosperity and 

 adversity come to the farmers, some succeed and 

 others fail, but from one generation to another 

 seed time and harvest, summer and winter, con- 

 tinue, and the cultivation of the soil goes on. 

 The land remains, and those who till it, though 

 outwardly different, are kindred in spirit with 

 their forefathers. Endurance is the badge of 

 all their tribe. 



It is well that the community should have a 

 sympathetic regard for those who till the soil, 

 and that the State should anxiously consider 

 the welfare of agriculturalists. But beyond the 

 interests of individuals, above even the interests 

 of the present generation, is the interest of the 

 Land itself. There is much in the history of 

 agriculture in this country which may be criticised > 

 its progress has not been achieved without hard- 

 ship, and oftentimes injustice, to individuals, but, 

 whatever may have been the defects in our land 

 system, it has on the whole been successful in 

 making and maintaining the fertility of the land. 

 A similar result might no doubt have been attained 

 under another system, but it is undeniable that 

 the restrictions devised by owners to prevent the 

 deterioration of the land — hardly as they pressed 

 on enterprising and competent tenants who were 

 willing to farm fairly — had on the whole the effect 

 of preserving soil fertility. Freedom of cultiva- 

 tion is admirable when every occupier is skilled 

 and conscientious, but, without reflecting on the 



