PRODUCTION 71 



for by (or given in exchange tor) the wealth produced 

 by urban industry.^ 



In regard to the production of food, other considera- 

 tions than the purely economic come into play ; k r 

 instance it mav be necessary, from the point of view ot 

 defence, that a nation should grow the largest possible 

 amount of wheat, more than might be strictly economic. 

 Again, it is in the interest of the whole nation to maintain 

 the area of land under the plough, on account of the 

 employment it provides, although grass land may be 

 the more advantageous from the farmer's point of view. 

 Most important of all, the proportion of people 

 living on and by the land must be maintained, 

 otherwise the nation's health and standard of 

 physique will suffer. This is a point of supreme im- 

 portance to every townsman ; in their own interests they 

 must see to it that there is an overflowing agricultural 

 population, so that a reasonable annual influx therefrom 

 may maintain the physical standard of the towns. 



Let us now apply our measure to the agricultural 

 industry in Britain, and see whether the industry is 

 in the right condition, or the land developed as it 

 should be. 



In 1 914 the gross production from the land was 



' Referring to the many millions of pounds sterling of primary 

 wealth produced from the soil of the United States one of their 

 Government reports says : — 



" The sum ia one that challenges the American imagination ; 

 these virtually nine billion dollars (^1,752,000,000) penetrate into 

 every form of commerce, art, industry, society. It is their 

 fructifying magic that swells bank balances, that makes possible 

 daring exploits in the realms of development and general expan- 

 sion (U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, 1909). 



In America there is a very clear understanding of the imi)ortance 

 of primary wealth, and if our (jovernmeiit had understood IIiIh 

 more fully the land of our Kmpire would be vastly more productive 

 th.iii it is to-day. 



