WORK IN NATIVE STATES 97 



Colonel Hudson was telling me about your agricultural 

 work I thought you were just a missionary who had 

 learned some new way of spending money, but I believe 

 that you have got hold of something that can be of 

 great help to India. If I could make arrangements for 

 you, would you go to a number of the native states and 

 give a few lectures in each one, telling of the possibilities 

 for the improvement of agriculture in India, and how 

 improved agriculture is at the very foundation of any im- 

 provement in the material prosperity of India; that it 

 is out of India's fertile acres, properly cultivated, that 

 must come the crops that can be sold to provide the 

 money for food, clothing, schools, libraries, hospitals, 

 museums, universities and all of the amenities of civiliza- 

 tion?" I said I would gladly go if I could be of any 

 service. He arranged the trip. I spoke at Dhar, Dewas- 

 Senior, Rutlam, Jaora, Indore. The lectures were 

 usually given in the palace with the Maharajah as pre- 

 siding officer, with the nobles of the state, and all his 

 officials as audience. At Indore, the Hon. Mr. Tucker, 

 Agent to the Governor-general, was the presiding officer. 

 In each case the Maharajah had called in all his officers 

 who understood English. I lectured and was much 

 gratified at the great interest shown in agricultural 

 things. Since that time a number of these states have 

 put in their own departments of agriculture, most of 

 which are doing excellent work. At the invitation of the 

 late Maharajah, who was a young man. not yet twenty 

 years old and who had been at an English public school, 

 I went to Jodhpur, where an audience of five thousand 

 were gathered. There had been little rain for over a 

 year and a half. The cattle were dying by the thousand 

 and the people were at their wits' end. The Mahara- 



