Land Problems and National Welfare 



by the use of artificials alone was a possibility. 



" However, what was needed was someone 

 who would take up the work from the side of 

 practical farming and demonstrate whether it 

 was possible to carry out such a system and 

 make it pay. If this were feasible, it was evident 

 that a wide area of strong land eminently suitable 

 for wheat growing could be remuneratively 

 cultivated. Mr. Prout, senior, working in con- 

 junction with, and under the expert guidance of 

 Dr. Augustus Volcker, set about making this 

 demonstration in the year i85i." 



I think Mr. Prout affords almost the only 

 example of an English farmer working a large 

 farm under the direction of a great scientist ; it 

 is a distinction to be proud of, and his son, the pre- 

 sent Mr. Prout, has carried on the same system. 

 Many of our most intelligent farmers follow the 

 advice of agricultural experts regarding this or 

 that particular crop; the Scotch farmers are 

 availing themselves more and more of expert 

 assistance with their dairy cows, but I think I 

 am right in saying that there is no case so com- 

 plete as that of Mr. Prout. The more ignorant 

 agriculturists often say, "Oh, science don't do 

 any good for farming ; " yet these same men are 

 availing themselves of the discoveries of scientists 

 like Gilbert and Lawes every time that they dress 

 their roots with superphosphate, and they would 

 be better advised if they would respect the con- 



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