52 THE ERRORS OF THE PAST 



His opinion is shared by all who have studied 

 the question at all. Proof of it is forthcoming every 

 year in all the three kingdoms. Abroad and in the 

 Dominions this fact has been understood and acted 

 upon for many years, but here we have a powerful 

 section of agriculturists who deny it absolutely : 

 the breeders of pedigree stock. Now, while I have 

 the greatest admiration for what these men have 

 achieved in improving English live stock, it must 

 nevertheless be remembered : 



(1) That the total export of pedigree live stock, 



which brings to them their chief fame, does 

 not amount to a very large sum annually,^ 

 and, 



(2) That the. object and actual effect of the 



export of this pedigree hve stock is to 

 improve the live stock of other countries 

 and so help them to compete in our own 

 markets still more successfuly with our 

 own home-grown meat. Anyway, even with 

 the most advanced " plough-up-the-land " 

 programme there will be plenty of grass 

 land left for the breeders of pedigree 

 stock. 



Considering these conditions — the absence of 

 co-operation in production and distribution and of 



1 Exports of Live Stock fkom the United Kingdom 



IN 1913 



Number. Value. 



Cattle. . . 7.341 ... ;C335."5 



Sheep , . . 8,635 ... 101,055 



Horses . . 69,878 ... 1.882,995 



Total ... .^2,319,165 



