62 POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS 



instead of the 160 or so who were once employed. The 

 land, though much of it is high and poor, lies on the 

 chalk, and is all susceptible of arable cultivation. It 

 would be difficult to exaggerate the wholesale loss to 

 the community that has been brought about by this 

 deliberate conversion of what was once a productive and 

 fairly populated area into a sheep ranch. The occupier, 

 however, has found his profit in dispensing with labour, 

 and, as things are, no one can interfere with his methods. 

 Under normal conditions it might have been hoped that 

 with the returning prosperity of farming the various 

 educational agencies that have been set up during the 

 last twenty or thirty years — agricultural colleges, farm 

 institutes, institutes for research, etc. — would slowly, 

 but in the most enduring fashion, effect a reform in the 

 conduct of the industry and bring up its general level 

 more nearly to that of the practice of the best men. 

 Without doubt the attitude of the leaders of agricultural 

 opinion towards knowledge and investigation have been 

 changing very greatly. The best men expect assistance 

 from science, and keep their minds open to apply its 

 teachings and to reduce to practice the openings it 

 indicates. Education in the business as well as in the 

 science of farming was going forward, co-operative 

 methods were making headway among large farmers 

 as well as small, and co-operation in itself has an 

 educational value. Example, education, the trend of 

 prices were alike making for progress, until the war 

 introduced a fresh feeling of insecurity. Now, even the 

 stimulus of high prices is more than set off by the 

 difficulties arising out of the lack of labour, the scarcity 

 of manures, feeding stuffs, and machinery, the con- 

 gestion of traffic, etc. ; cultivation is declining, good 



