Agricultural Organisation 



the landowners have not played their part, and 

 though many good tenant farmers belong, they 

 are for the most part large farmers, and so the 

 interests of the small farmer do not receive 

 sufficient attention, and when it comes to the 

 labourer the failure is complete, as there are no 

 labour members. 



The next important movement with a view to 

 the organising of agriculturists was set on foot 

 by my kinsman, Lord Winchilsea, a man who 

 worked himself to death for the cause of agricul- 

 ture, and to whom, more than to any other in- 

 dividual, is due that general stirring of the dry 

 bones of agriculture that is now so noticeable. 

 It is sad that he did not live to see that keenness 

 aroused ; too often he had but dull apathy to 

 bear with, or even active opposition. 



His scheme was on lines similar to that of 

 the Chambers of Agriculture, viz., the formation 

 of a society uniting landowner, tenant and 

 labourer — a three-fold cable. His association 

 took its beginning in 1893 under the designation 

 of " The National Agricultural Union." It 

 differed from the Chambers of Agriculture in 

 that it made a determined effort to bring in the 

 rural labourer, and the amount of success in this 

 direction was quite sufficient to prove that the 

 rural labourer can be drawn in — can be interested 

 in the general movement if the right measures 

 are taken. Though this organisation at one 



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