AN IMMEDIATE BOUNTY 119 



then more gradually to effect a progressive intensifi- 

 cation in our general treatment of the land. 



The immediate situation is best met by the guarantee 

 of either a maximum price for wheat or a payment 

 for the extension of the arable area, for a period of from 

 five to ten years. This will give the farmers the con- 

 fidence they lack, it will arrest the movement towards 

 laying down land to grass and will secure straightway 

 an increase in the demand for labour ; of itself it should 

 bring about the ploughing up of another million acres of 

 grass land, which would provide employment for 20,000 

 to 30,000 more men. The offer of some form of assistance 

 should precede any other measure ; it is necessary to fur- 

 nish the stimulus required to make the farmers set about 

 the prompt extension of their business. If it is not prom- 

 ised even before the war ends, if we wait to see how the 

 situation develops and to ascertain the extent of the un- 

 employment, the opportunity may well be lost, for the 

 farmer will wait even longer in order to make sure of his 

 prospects. Moreover, the farmer can never begin to 

 develop his business at any given signal. If he is going to 

 plough up grass land and crop it in the following season 

 he should begin to lay his plans in June ; then the old 

 grass land that he can get broken up by steam or motor 

 in July or August will be fit for wheat, oats or potatoes. 

 Winter-ploughed land will in many cases require a 

 summer's fallowing before it can profitably be put 

 under crop, and this is particularly true of the in- 

 different and weedy old pasture that is most in need of 

 breaking up. At the outset the question of how the 

 State should deal with the landowners in order to 

 prevent the assistance given going simply into their 

 pockets as increased rent, may safely be left over until 



