152 THE OUTDOOR GARDEN 



tion should assist this by bringing about a systema- 

 tised sale or distribution of all that camp manure 

 and refuse which now represents valuable material 

 for the improvement of market-gardens and the 

 development of piggeries. It seems, however, at 

 the moment, for lack of leadership, that this ques- 

 tion, like innumerable others, will be inquired 

 into by voluntary workers alone, in spite of its 

 essentially official and important nature, if we re- 

 gard as such the wastage of our national resources. 



Yet another weak point in agricultural develop- 

 ment is our lack of Credit Banks, an essential of 

 which perhaps the best description is that of the 

 Italian writer Giustino Fortunato. He says, 

 M The poor man obtains no credit because he is 

 poor, and he remains poor because he has no 

 credit." How applicable is this to many a small 

 grower who for years and maybe for life remains 

 impeded by lack of capital. Probably in his case 

 a mere trifle of £$o or £100, if obtained at the 

 crucial moment, would make all the difference to 

 his ultimate success or failure. 



We know that in Germany there are some 1,700 

 co-operative Credit Banks, and in Denmark there 

 are Credit Union Banks to which, as being private 

 institutions, the State gives no loan or guarantee 

 in deed, but appoints auditors to inspect and 

 audit their accounts as a safeguard against fraud. 



Of all these matters my Belgian friend spoke 

 with interest, and although he kept on repeatedly 

 assuring me that the land and all connected with it 

 was a mere hobby or recreation with him, for his 

 profession and serious work lay in another direction, 



