AX AGRICULTURAL CAREER 147 



At 21 or 22 years of age most men are too young and 

 inexperienced to start on their own, or to be entrusted 

 with the management of a large farm. 



Ahhough there are an increasing number of positions 

 under pubHc authority for the highly qualilied expert, 

 there is danger of the supply exceeding the demand ; 

 and the salaries for these posts only average about /J500 

 a year under County Councils, and up to about ;^iooo 

 a year under the Ministry of Agriculture. 



If, however, the system of partnership farming develops 

 considerably during the coming decade, there will be 

 increasing opportunity for the type of man I am dealing 

 with here ; and if the man is really highly qualified 

 he should be, as manager-partner of a farm, in a position 

 to save enough capital to enable him to take a fair-sized 

 farm of his own before he is too old. 



It is clear, however, that older men, perhaps ex- 

 Ser\'ice men who do not wish to return to a sedentary 

 indoor occupation, cannot give up four or five years to 

 training. 



\\'hat are they to do ? 



In regard to training, the first step must be the test 

 as a labourer on a farm ; if this is passed successfully, 

 then a short course (not exceeding a year) at an agri- 

 cultural college should follow. 



The pupil must learn how to plough and how to 

 handle the ordinary implements and eff^cct simple repairs 

 thereto. He must learn how to milk and how to feed 

 live stock, how to keep simple accounts, and as much 

 of the theory of agriculture as he can acquire in the time. 



Those who elect to settle overseas can still make the 

 test at home ; but the oversea authorities quite rightly 

 insist upon a year's training on the spot before the settler 

 is actually granted a holding. 



