46o THE FUTURE OF OUR AGRICULTURE. 



there is very much amiss in the present condition of our 

 Agriculture — as an entire interest, which is of course the 

 aspect under whicli tlic Nation lias to look at it. For 

 splendid oases scattered over its wide expanse, still leave 

 Sahara only a desert. In speaking of the shortcomings of 

 our premier calling I have advisedly confined myself to 

 quoting the opinions of accepted high authorities and Par- 

 liamentary or Departmental Committees. My object was to 

 cite only unexceptionable witnesses. They, as it happens, 

 tell their own tale in remarkable unison, and tell it with 

 unmistakable plainness. And that tale amounts to an 

 admission that the malady from which our husbandry 

 suffers is not a matter of a few local affections, to be cured 

 with plasters and salves, but that it is constitutional, the 

 general system being wrong. We have a goodly structure 

 to show, imposing and pretentious. However, the founda- 

 tion has grown shaky. The walls are showing cracks, the 

 pillars are giving way. We know that our technical prac- 

 tice is sound. For it has served as a model to all the 

 world, and in truth produced the very weapons with which 

 we ourselves are now being vanquished. But our system 

 of applying that practice has grown out of date. If 

 good is to be done, we shall have to begin our reconstruction 

 at the bottom. In Lord Selborne's words, what is wanted 

 is a veritable " Revolution," to set matters right. It is 

 the system which is in fault. There is no good in quarrelling 

 with our tools and our materials. We have good enough 

 tools and good enough materials. And we have good enough 

 working power, if we will only properly use it. It is our 

 methods of employing these useful possessions which cause 

 our disappointment. And light and shade in the picture 

 now unrolled before us agree in indicating where the fault 

 lies. Wherever our Agriculture shows up well— and on 

 such spots there is nothing to show up better — it is because 

 landlord and tenant are both in a position to do full justice 

 to their soil and their opportunities, and are agreed among 

 themselves upon the way of doing it. That means, that on 

 such spots there is a unity of interest. There is that 

 "capital and brains" for which Lord Selborne rightly 



