144 THE POSSIBILITIES 



place during the last quarter of a century, in the 

 sense of a more intensive culture and a better 

 utilisation of the land. On the contrary, I men- 

 tion in different parts of this book the progress 

 accomplished of late in the development of 

 separate branches of intensive culture, such as 

 fruit-culture, market-gardening, culture under 

 glass, French gardening, and poultry farming, 

 and I also indicate the different steps taken to 

 promote further improvements, such as better 

 conditions of transport, co-operation among the 

 farmers, and especially the development of small 

 holdings. 



However, after having taken into account all 

 these improvements, one cannot but see with 

 regret that the same regressive movement in 

 British agriculture, which began in the 'seventies, 

 continues still ; and while more and more of 

 the land that was once under the plough goes 

 out of culture, no corresponding increase in the 

 quantities of live stock is to be seen. And if we 

 consult the mass of books and review articles 

 which have been dealing lately with this subject, 

 we see that all the writers recognise that British 

 agriculture must adapt itself to the new conditions 

 by a thorough reform of its general character ; 

 and yet the same writers recognise that only a 

 few steps were taken till now in the proper direc- 

 tion, and none of them was taken with a sufficient 



