OF AGRICULTURE. 165 



over the best present average, while the cost of 

 production can be reduced by 50 per cent, by 

 the use of inexpensive machinery ; to say nothing 

 of costly machines, like the steam digger, or the 

 pulverisers which make the soil required for 

 each special culture. They are now occasion- 

 ally resorted to here and there, and they surely 

 will come into general use as soon as humanity 

 feels the need of largely increasing its agricul- 

 tural produce. 



In fact, a considerable progress has already 

 been realised in French agriculture by labour- 

 saving machinery during the last twenty-five 

 years ; but there still remains an immense field 

 for further improvement. Thus, in 1908, France 

 had already in use 25,000 harvesting machines 

 and 1,200 binders as against 180 only of the 

 former and sixty of the second, which were 

 used in 1882 ; but it is calculated that no less 

 than 375,000 .more harvesting machines and 

 300,000 mowing machines are required to satisfy 

 the needs of French agriculture. The same must 

 be said as regards the use of artificial manure, 

 irrigation, pumping machinery, and so on. 



When we bear in mind the very unfavourable 

 conditions hi which agriculture stands now all 

 over the world, we must not expect to find 

 considerable progress in its methods realised 



