CH. I] ORGANISATION OF AGRICULTURE 197 



do something for the advancement of the agricultural progress 

 of the country, and many have done great things for it. The 

 weak point is lack of concentration and of continuity. In many 

 countries there is no agricultural department or organisation, 

 whose special business is to attend to agricultural matters or 

 policy. Each officer of Government has his own views as to 

 what is required, and in each position which he may oceupy 

 and, as a rule, his occupation is but for a very few years at 

 most he puts these views into operation so far as his time, 

 the availability of funds, and the instructions or criticisms of 

 his superior officers will allow. The next occupant of his post 

 probably has entirely different views, and the net result of this 

 kind of thing is but little. Roads and railways and other 

 public works, again, are carried out without special reference 

 to the future of agriculture in the country ; agricultural finance, 

 drainage, and other matters of vital importance are left more 

 or less neglected; and so on. 



A general consideration of the history of most tropical 

 countries shows that a steady and satisfactory progress is 

 best ensured when there is a definite department of the 

 Government concerned with the particular matter in hand. 

 Agricultural progress has been but slow, and due more to 

 private enterprise or to great natural advantages than to any 

 effort of Governments. Agriculture is daily becoming more 

 scientific, and a Department of Agriculture is an evident 

 necessity of the case, just as there is a Department of Public 

 Works, of Forests, or of Mining. The poorer agriculturist 

 cannot afford the experiments necessary for progress, were he 

 even qualified to make them. 



Nothing will make agriculture progress rapidly, or make 

 it sufficiently attractive, but a concentration of effort of all 

 departments or organisations concerned, with a definite policy 

 on the part of the supreme Government. All effort possible 

 should be concentrated on agriculture with the object of making 

 a " boom " in it. There is often a feeling that this is undesirable, 

 that the first success may be followed by collapse, but if behind 

 the advertisement there be a solid basis for prosperity, there is 

 no reason why there should not be rapid and permanent progress, 



