94 THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



legislation — produced in Ireland, where its consequences 

 could be followed up, markedly better farming. It has, 

 in addition, taught the Irish farmer to co-operate, which 

 means placing better machiner}^ for buying and selling, 

 such as Mr. Hall misses in this country, at his command, 

 but means also a great deal more, among other things that 

 standing together for common interests, that readiness for 

 receiving education, which our farmers lack, but which they 

 need and which leads up to " better farming, better business, 

 better living." Lord Selborne has spoken of the necessity 

 of a veritable " revolution " in Agriculture. There is scope 

 for it in good sooth. And there is much to be thrown into 

 the melting pot which is not likely to issue out in its old 

 form. It is our system that requires altering. It is not 

 the tools that we constantly complain of that want scrapping 

 and replacing — unhindered commerce, free supply from 

 the cheapest markets, an open field for development — but 

 others which hinder action where action, on the contrary, 

 requires to be stimulated. We want a new system for the 

 disposal of land. M'e want the concentration of interest 

 in profitable farming in one responsible, one unfettered 

 hand. We want, for the most part, a new class of farmers 

 — evolved from the old or else newly introduced. We 

 want organised common action among those who carry 

 on our national husbandry. We want competent Labour 

 made fully available in its best quality. In one word, we 

 want a new agricultural whole. 



However, we cannot afford at once to take too long views. 

 Le mieux est Vennemi du hien. Our land system, such as 

 it is, with all its ponderousness and cumbrousness, with 

 its dual and triple interest, with its arbitrariness in the 

 selection of those who are to produce our food, is there and 

 is pretty firmly rooted in the soil. It is an unicum in the 

 world's Agriculture, and will certainly have to be made 

 to give way to something more in harmony with the spirit 

 of the age and better meeting the material wants of a 

 growing population. And the country will be all the better 

 for such change. However, such change will require decades. 

 It will mean progress if we take only one step at a time. 



