134 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



farmers are much more interested in the converse 

 law, that of " increasing return." That is why, as 

 ah-eady stated, the average yield of wheat in Denmark 

 is some 30 per cent higher than it is here. 



The great difficulty is that, not only do farmers not 

 keep sufficiently accurate accounts, but they are naturally 

 averse, even under the seal of secrecy, to disclose the real 

 results.^ Therefore, it will only be by means of estab- 

 lishing a large number of demonstration farms, run by 

 the State (or local authority on lines laid down by the 

 central authority), that we can hope to get the accurate 

 information needed. The twofold object must be kept 

 in view : — 



(a) Of increasing the yield per acre ; 



(b) Of reducing the cost of production per acre. 



Now one of the chief features in cheapening the cost 

 of production is the organizing and efficient handling of 

 labour. And here comes in the personal equation ; one 

 man is a born organizer, and the next is not — in fact, for 

 one man who can organize his labour well there are 

 probably ten who cannot do so. But these ten, under a 

 proper system of expert guidance, can be induced to em- 

 ploy the best methods in regard to the general treatment 

 of their land. The expert, however, cannot be fully 

 effective unless he has a farm for practical demonstration. 



The interim report of the Costings Committee deals 

 with the accounts of some 300 farms, covering 146,000 

 acres in England, Wales and Scotland, and shows a 

 profit of j(^i 6s. per acre or 10 per cent on the farmer's 

 working capital. This 10 per cent interest is really 

 gross interest, for nothing is allowed to the farmer as 



^ The compulsory returns for Income Tax under Schedule D, 

 will soon produce valuable results. 



