TEACHING THE CULTIVATORS 45 



they are sadly wanting in that " flexibility of mind " which alone 

 qualifies a man for advancing with the times. Thus, in both grades 

 of the land-cultivating host that the nation has to look to for its 

 food and the utilisation of its land, there is plenty for the 

 schoolmaster to do. 



The War has, with its many direct and indirect consequences, 

 brought about, at any rate, an inclination to a change for the better. 

 The nation has made claims upon the farmer for increased output, 

 to which the farmer has patriotically responded, often enough under 

 orders a little wanting in reason and in opposition to his own better 

 judgment. But there has been more. All sorts of things, including 

 necessaries of life and tillage, have grown dearer — labour particularly 

 so. The prices of fertilisers and feeding stuffs have risen to luxury 

 level — and at times these commodities were not purchasable at any 

 price. That has made our farmer think of his pocket. He must 

 buy certain things. Well, he has listened, to a moderate extent, to 

 the admonition of those who have invited him, at any rate, for the 

 purpose of financially bettering his own position, to join soi-disant 

 " co-operative " supply societies which deliver goods cheap and 

 under guarantee. That has kept some money in his pocket. He 

 has now to get his land back into " heart." Under the difficulties 

 presented by the market he has learnt to reflect what kinds of 

 fertilisers he wants — in the place of " Mr. Smith's wheat manure," 

 or whatever the dealer's pet article might be — and to inquire in 

 which alternative shape he may at the most reasonable price 

 supply nitrogen, or potash, or phosphate. That was something 

 of a lesson in chemistry. Again, in the absence of a sufficient 

 supply of labour, he has become willing to take to tractors and 

 other labour-replacing and labour-saving machines, which under the 

 peculiar circumstances were offered to him under rather preferential 

 conditions. 



All this is so much to the good. But will it remain effective ? 

 And does it go at all far enough ? Has it really impressed a new 

 stamp upon our agriculture, making it more productive, more 

 profitable, helping it back to the proud position of primacy which it 

 so long maintained among nations ? 



We know that before the War came to shake us up out of our 

 lethargy a great deal more teaching was pronounced called for to 

 rouse the backward farmer from his stolid indifference, and that a 

 serious difficulty was owned to, to make him receive any of that 

 teaching. In substance, so it is to be apprehended, the situation 

 has not much changed. Most of our farming is still in its old state, 



