ITS LESSONS AND ITS WARNINGS 99 



more than 27 millions of acres are laid down to 

 grass, while less than 2 millions are cultivated in 

 wheat ! 



It is to be hoped that the Departmental Com- 

 mittee will not recommend mere palliatives 

 instead of proposing a scheme which will meet 

 the difficulty, not only for next year but for 

 years to come. It may be thought that the 

 question of bonuses for the moment need not be 

 considered owing to the present price of wheat 

 making it profitable to grow the cereal ; but the 

 State may probably offer a bonus for every acre 

 of wheat grown beyond the present acreage, or 

 a bonus per quarter beyond the existing supply 

 and when wheat falls below a certain price per 

 quarter. This would no doubt be an induce- 

 ment to break up poor grass lands, but the 

 bonus would have to be continued for some 

 years. Under our present land system, however, 

 the question of bonuses is a serious one. A 

 bonus given to a man who tills his own farm 

 goes directly to the benefit of the land, but a 

 bonus given to a tenant is liable to be intercepted 

 wholly or in part by means of an increase of 

 rent. This is a real contingency and it is difficult 

 to know how to deal with it. The present writer 



