Land Problems and National Welfare 



time numbered some 400 branches it did not 

 long survive in its original form; it had not been 

 working years enough to continue by itself with- 

 out the guidance of its moving spirit. 



The immediate outcome of Lord Winchilsea's 

 Association, or rather its child and successor, 

 is the Agricultural Organisation Society. This 

 is non-political, and its chief aim is to organise 

 the business side of the agricultural industry. 

 It is the great propagandist body for co- 

 operation among agriculturists and is doing 

 excellent work. A society whose aim is to 

 organise agriculture for business purposes — the 

 industry above all others in need of organisa- 

 tion — ought to be recognised as one of the most 

 important bodies in existence, and it should 

 have unlimited funds at its disposal. But, 

 needless to say, it has not. At the present 

 stage of development of the agricultural move- 

 ment money could not be more patriotically 

 spent than by assisting this society. 



I wish some millionaire would study the 

 question of agriculture and what its prosperity 

 means to the nation, and then would inform 

 himself how essential a part co-operation must 

 play in the work of agricultural reform, and what 

 good work the Agricultural Organisation Society 

 is doing ; and having realised all this, that he 

 would subscribe, say, ^^10,000 a year to the 

 funds ! 



264 



