Land Problems and National Welfare 



a firm of solicitors ; for it would seem to be self- 

 evident that they, untrained in estate agency 

 or in farming, cannot be the best managers of 

 land. Yet I fear that a good deal of property 

 is so managed — I have myself come across 

 some extraordinary cases. 



Another unsound practice which prevails to a 

 considerable extent is that of looking to the 

 Estate Office to provide employment for some 

 poor and deserving relation whose sole qualifi- 

 cations are that he is poor and deserving. This 

 is bad economy : it would be far cheaper to 

 pension him. 



Thirdly, it is important that the landowner 

 should have, if not a very intimate knowledge 

 (which would be best) of the processes of agricul- 

 ture, at least sufficient knowledge to enable him 

 to follow and to understand current research in 

 agricultural science. He should see to it that 

 the home farm, where there is one, is not run 

 by the bailiff as a demonstration of extravagance, 

 but rather as an example of how much the land 

 can be made to yield. More home-grown food- 

 stuff must be produced, and landowners should 

 take the lead in weaning the country from the 

 present system of extensive farming, encourag- 

 ing in its place the adoption of intensive methods. 

 The test of true patriotism for the agriculturist 

 is the amount of foodstuff that he can produce ; 

 and the man who will grow £^ worth per acre 



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