APPENDIX X 



ON MACHINERY 



MACHINERY is not used in England to anything like 

 the extent it could be used, or that it is used in other 

 countries with a highly developed agriculture. 



But we must not fall into the error of thinking that every- 

 thing can be done by machinery, or that the solution of all 

 our agricultural difficulties lies in the full use of machinery ; 

 some townsmen are inclined to think this. 



On the other side undoubtedly many agriculturists think 

 that a full use of machinery would make possible a great 

 reduction in the number of landworkers employed, and a 

 consequent lower wage bill per week. 



It is necessary to be clear on this point ; machinery only 

 reduces the number of men employed if it is deliberately used 

 with a view to develop extensive cultivation. But our object 

 is to increase the production from our soil, to develop inten- 

 sive cultivation ; machinery can play an important part in 

 securing this development without reducing the number of 

 men employed, for, properly used, it will make each indi- 

 vidual man more effective. 



In Denmark, for example, much more machinery is used 

 than in this country, and yet the number of men employed 

 per 1000 acres is much higher. 



It simply means that under more intensive cultivation, 

 more labour, whether mechanical or manual, is used. 



Undoubtedly there will be an increased use of tractors on 

 certain soils, and other new machines, achieving efficiency 

 and lessening cost of production, will be invented from time 

 to time, 



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