174 THE LAND AND ITS PROBLEMS 



the plough ; but the farming of grass land requires just 

 as much supervision, for in most counties it is very 

 badly handled. Managed on better lines it could carry 

 much more stock than it does at present. While I 

 advocate effective executive powers for the Agricultural 

 Committees, I would stress " guidance " rather than 

 " control " ; the latter should be kept in the background — 

 it is distasteful to the Englishman, both to the exerciser 

 and to the recipient ! To order the farmer to do this, 

 or to do that, is the wrong procedure ; in the first 

 place he should be convinced by demonstration that the 

 proposed changes in method are good business, and then 

 he should be shown how to effect them. 



One future development that seems fairly well assured 

 is a much greater degree of combination amongst agri- 

 culturists. This is largely due to the difficulties with 

 which we are now faced, and the fact that the official 

 organization is not popular with farmers may lead to a 

 more rapid and complete voluntary organization of the 

 agriculturists. 



The Landowners' Association is growing. The 

 Labourers' Unions are expanding, and the increase in the 

 membership of the National Farmers' Union is remarkable. 

 If this body, working in conjunction with the Central 

 Landowners' Association and the Labourers' Unions, 

 will take the necessary trouble, there is no doubt that the 

 County Agricultural Committee can be made a really 

 effective machine to secure better cultivation and increased 

 production. It is clear then that not only are the 

 important principles, already referred to, incorporated in 

 the Ministry of Agriculture Act and in the Agriculture 

 Act, but these Acts should secure a hitherto unattained 

 degree of organization of the administrative side, and 

 also the decentralization which has long been needed. 



