NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS. 



Somehow or other the British Nation never seems to 

 trouble about a calamity which may come. It has gone, 

 so far as British Agriculture is concerned, largely on the 

 principle of " Laisser-faire." In effect it says : "We are a 

 very busy Nation : we have no time to worry about things 

 which may come. The Nation continues to be fed from some- 

 where, and that is enough for us. When calamities really 

 do come, we will soon set to work and deal with them. Until 

 that day comes xve must ask you to be perfectly calm and 

 patient/' 



There is no doubt that many brilliant pages have been 

 added to History, setting forth the way in which this nation 

 has overcome terrible difficulties in the past ; but indiffer- 

 ence to such a basal industry as Agriculture or Food- 

 Production, is alw.ays attended with very grave risks, which 

 Were never more appreciated than at the present time. 



The recent developments of Submarine warfare have 

 torn away much of the protection afforded by our insularity, 

 and this on account of the State having neglected Agricul- 

 ture, has brought this Nation dangerously near to starvation. 

 Had it not been for the untiring efforts of the Board of 

 Agriculture through their War Agricultural Committees, 

 and later their Executive War Agricultural Committees, 

 to which the Board delegated considerable powers to enforce, 

 if need be, better cultivation and greater Food Production 

 on Farms, it is difficult to see how we should have pulled 

 through. 



" INDUSTRIALISED AGRICULTURE." 



The development of many highly organised Industries 

 in this Country by keen business men during the last century, 

 has certainly been phenomenal ; especially when one consi- 

 ders that their products have penetrated to the very ends of 

 the earth. The so called Industrial Classes of the present 

 day, have become more or less steeped in an " industrial " 

 atmosphere, where the whole business has been so highly 

 organised as to run like clockwork. 



