52 



FARMING ON FACTORY LINES 



There are many striking comparisons in Mr. 

 Middleton's production, but none more suggestive, or 

 bears so much on the tillage question, as the 

 following compilation, showing the average amount 

 of farm produce obtained from 100 acres of cultivated 

 land, obtained annually in Great Rritain and 

 Germany: — 



The cause of the greater production from the 

 German soil is not far to seek. The German 

 farmer had approximately two-thirds of his land 

 under the plough. In Great Rritain we had less than 

 one-third, and in Ireland approximately one-eighth. 

 No one need therefore be surprised to learn that, 

 with the greater proportion of arable land, the 

 German farmer should produce more grain and 

 potatoes than the Rritish farmer, but many experts 

 were certainly greatly surprised to learn that the 

 German also produced more milk and meat. 



They may also be surprised to learn that in the last 

 ten years the Continuous Cropping system has made 

 tremendous strides in Germany. Long before the 

 authorities in these countries heard of my work, lead- 

 ing German experts had visited me and investigated 

 its merits. Again, whilst my Rritish pupils generally 

 had taken up the study of agriculture on the recom- 

 mendation of the family doctor — because they had 



