66 FARMING ON FACTORY LINES 



There are other reasons why the prevailing system 

 of tillage, when weighed in the economic balance, is 

 found wanting. This, it may be stated, is not a 

 mere theory, but is the experience of most farmers. 

 Otherwise, how is it possible to account for the 

 diminution in the tillage area during the past 

 generation ? 



DECREASES IN TILLAGE 



It is questionable whether it is fully realised to 

 what extent this tillage decrease has taken place. 

 The decrease commenced in the seventies, and was 

 at its worst during the eighties. In the period 1903- 

 1913 the arable area in Great Rritain decreased by 

 over 1,000,000 acres, whilst in Ireland during the 

 same period 100,000 acres of arable land went into 

 grass. Some authorities who are afflicted with that 

 fell disease, mental laziness, and who have a great 

 tendency to skim the surface of things, have ascribed 

 the tillage decrease to indolence or ignorance, or 

 both, on the part of the farmer. The practical 

 farmer justly resents these imputations. \ 



It is doubtful whether in Great Rritain or Ireland 

 any man has been more in touch with the practical 

 farmer during the last few years than the writer, 

 and, if he may be permitted to give an obiter dictum 

 on the question, he has no hesitation in saying that 

 he never found any great difficulty in his attempts to 

 educate the farmer, whether Rritish or Irish, when 

 approached in the right manner. This means letting 

 the farmer, whom one seeks to educate, know that 

 in advocating what may seem very revolutionary 

 methods, one is only speaking about what one has 

 successfully accomplished, 



