2 THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



" those momentary starts from Natme's laws. 

 Which, like the pestilence and earthquake, smite 

 But for a time, then pass, and leave the earth 

 With all her seasons to repair the blight 

 In a few summers," 



and that the very motive for our own and America's inter- 

 fering was, to ensure that there should be no " next time " 

 and to secure peace and freedom at sea as an abiding bless- 

 ing for the world. 



The French have a proverb which says. La paix se 

 conserve enfin par la guerre, that is, there are cases in which 

 peace is best secured by war. Evidently the present is 

 such a case. The hour is trying. But its length is irrevo- 

 cably measured, and beyond it lies, so we must hope, 

 an era of " peace and concord among nations," in which 

 the submarine will cease from troubling and our commerce 

 at sea will once more be at rest. 



But, however uncalled for may be a dread of the future 

 with its submarine nightmare, the discovery that our 

 Agriculture is below par — much below that point — and, 

 as we have recently ascertained, quite unequal to the 

 requirements of the Nation, is no less disconcerting. Pro- 

 vidence has meted out to us our cultivable land with a 

 sparing hand. Of that land, war or no war, we ought in 

 reason, and in duty to the Giver of it, to make the most, 

 putting it to the best possible use, seeing what our teeming 

 population is in proportion to our narrow territory. Should 

 it come to war again and should others once more set up 

 for us a Chinese Wall, we shall have to produce what food we 

 possibly can, so as to preserve our population from starving. 

 While war is in abeyance, while the temple of Janus remains 

 closed, we shall be failing in our duty, not only if we do 

 not produce upon our soil what value we can, for the sake of 

 national prosperity and — besides making proper provision 

 for any fresh emergency — to keep our own money at home, 

 but also if we fail to use our land for the purpose of giving 

 healthy productive employment to a maximum number 

 of persons, and provide a maximum number of persons 

 with appropriate rural homes and rural happiness. 



