HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION 19 



home wheat for about twenty -four inillion people ; 

 this was our high-water mark ; after that not only did 

 our wheat production fail to keep pace with the increase 

 in our population, but it was the crop that suffered 

 most and was most reduced owing to the effects of the 

 depression. 



In 19 1 4 we were only growing suflicient wheat to 

 meet the needs of about eight million people, or one- 

 fifth of our population. 



THE CULTIVATOR 



So far we have been considering the actual cultivation 

 of the land ; and now, if we turn our attention to the 

 condition of the people living on and by the land, we 

 can trace an evolution that has not been altogether good 

 especially from the labourer's point of view. Under 

 a primitive society everyone had access to land for 

 what that was worth ; it was an open run for everyone's 

 live stock. As population increased most nations seem 

 to have gone through a period of communistic ownership 

 of lands. A certain area was recognized as belonging 

 to a commune and it was divided up amongst the members 

 as best suited the needs of the commune ; or, if it was 

 not actually divided up, the individuals had certain 

 rights of pasturage on the common land. This system 

 survived into Feudal times in a greater or less degree in 

 different countries. 



In Russia it obtained up to the great revolution, 

 and apparently still exists ; there the " Mir " or com- 

 munal council divided the common lands amongst the 

 members of the community at certain definite periods 

 or when need arose. On these occasions there was 

 no chairman of the meeting, all the members of the 

 Mir talked, sometimes all at once ; and out of the 



