vi . , , . PREFACE 



as in other countries. An outcry will be raised against 

 depopulation when large farms are created. The greater 

 the pressure of the population upon the land the greater 

 will tend to be the restrictions imposed by law upon the 

 freedom of landlords. In favor of the policy of peasant 

 proprietorship will be urged its apparent success in France 

 and Belgium, and the modern movement for the re-creation 

 of small holdings in England. 



I feel it necessary to point out here that such arguments 

 will be wholly fallacious, because they do not take into 

 account the very different economic conditions prevailing in 

 Europe. The British Isles and all the Western countries 

 of the continent of Europe Germany, Holland, Belgium, 

 France, Spain and Portugal are essentially countries 

 with a maritime sea-board ; and their economic development 

 during the past fifty years has been largely conditioned by 

 the growing cheapness of ocean transport. The cultivation 

 of the sm!l holdings in Franc?, Belgium and Germany could 

 never supply the food required by the present population. 

 These countries, as well as England, normally draw a large 

 part of their food-supply from the most distant parts of the 

 world. Wheat comes from Russia, Canada, the United 

 States, the Argentine and Australia ; meat from North and 

 South America, Australia and New Zealand ; eggs and dairy 

 products from Russia, Australia and Canada. The main 

 fact, however, is the large importation of wheat ; the 

 cultivation of which is uneconomical on small holdings in 

 Europe. The peasants of these countries are devoting 

 themselves more and more every year to specialized 

 products potatoes, vegetables, fruits, herbs, sugar-beet, 

 tobacco, and a host of minor products, a demand for which 

 has been created by the growing populations of the cities. 



How different is the situation in India ! In normal 

 years we export wheat and rice. It is almost inconceivable 

 that India should ever become a country importing food- 

 stuffs ; for by the time our industrial development shall 



