Agriculture in the future no one can prophesy with any 

 confidence. The Great European War may and God 

 grant that it will cause the nation at large to realise 

 the wisdom, and the ultimate economy, if not the necessity, 

 of making Britain more self-contained in the matter of 

 food production for her teeming population. Definite 

 encouragement, fair treatment, and official recognition will 

 then, it is hoped, be extended by Government to those, 

 whether landowners, yeomen, or tenant-farmers, who carry 

 out to the best of their ability and resources this eminently 

 patriotic duty. Pending such time, however, the loyal 

 cohesion of agriculturists of all classes for the protection 

 of themselves and their industry is more than ever 

 essential. In this task the Central Chamber will welcome 

 the assistance of other and younger organisations formed 

 for a like purpose, and they on their part will, without 

 doubt, recognise the immense debt of gratitude which 

 British Agriculture owes to the pioneer work of the great 

 organisation which fifty years ago embarked upon the 

 fruitful and epoch-making activities of which the following 

 pages are so faithful a record. 



CHARLES BATHURST. 



LYDNEY PARK, 



April, 1915. 



