144 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



three years of such an enterprise are lean years ; par- 

 ticularly so if the farm taken is not in good condition, 

 when the first task is to get it into order. In my own 

 case the farm was in a very bad state ; yet my partner 

 paid me, from the outset, full rental and 5 per cent 

 on my capital — this before the war ! After the second 

 year, profits were earned which were divided up. See 

 Appendix V for copy of the very simple form of 

 partnership agreement. 



Next, as to the class of farming recommended. The 

 arable dairy farm has strong recommendations ; the 

 main sales therefrom — milk, corn and pigs — the products 

 most needed by the nation are at the same time most 

 profitable to the farmer. There would, of course, be 

 variations in each individual case, and on some farms 

 a fair area might be devoted to potatoes. 



Grass farming need not be excluded from the partner- 

 ship system, but, if it be chosen, the grass should be 

 thoroughly well handled, and the highest possible head 

 of stock carried ; what arable there is should be made 

 full use of, and if the farm is on the western side of 

 England the Harper Adams method of green cropping 

 might be adopted. 



The area of the partnership farm might, of course, 

 be much more than 500 acres ; but it is always wise 

 to avoid embarking on too large a scale, and there is the 

 danger of a keen and active partner taking on more than 

 he can manage effectively, which should be carefully 

 avoided. 



PROFITS 



As to the profits that can be earned, it is impossible 

 to say what the future has in store for the agricultural 

 industry ; its future, as that of every other industry, lies 



