REMEDIES SUGGESTED. 89 



by themselves, a superior class. There are also splendid 

 craftsmen-specialists, saj^ in fruit culture, vegetable growing, 

 and other select branches of farming, among our smaller 

 farmers. But they, too, form something of a class apart. 

 They are in truth industriaHsts rather than agriculturists. 

 And they likewise fail to react upon the great inert mass 

 of backward farmers, who go on in their unprofitable old 

 humdrum way. It is the host of our small farmers, crafts- 

 men with no ideas in their head beyond their accustomed 

 daily job, who form the drag upon our farming machine. 

 They are " idle bellies," like the Cretans of old, and want 

 — that is the point to be operated upon — to be either 

 " shaken out," as Mr. Hall has called it, or else raised. Now 

 raising them is a tough job. But it must be tried. The 

 way to improvement lies across Education— Education in 

 its widest sense, as applying both to old and young, to 

 every one after his sort. Now on no point telling 

 against the host of our farmers as a class are people 

 whose judgment is entitled to count so fully agreed as 

 upon this, that there is a lamentable want of Education 

 noticeable among them, just for this class of people. I have 

 seen a good deal of this, even among men of the highest 

 local position — men universally looked up to as skilful as 

 well as successful farmers — who all the same were decidedly 

 ignorant on very important matters concerning their call- 

 ing, more particularly on matters relating to ancillary 

 sciences. They were perfect masters of ploughing, or 

 disc-harrowing, or breeding. But their knowledge of agri- 

 cultural chemistry was a total blank. Their familiarity 

 with grasses was nil. Of course they were cheated by their 

 dealers. Of course, in spite of their practical proficiency, 

 they failed to do justice to their opportunities. Of course 

 their " light " and example to others burnt only dimly, 

 in comparison with what it might have done. And if 

 these things happen in the green tree of agricultural eminence, 

 what are we to look for in the dry of humble position of 

 the 50 and 200 acre craft ? 



Under such circumstances is it surprising that Agricul- 

 ture languishes and will not develop ? Evidently this is 



