CHAPTER II. 



Evidence of Successful Farming during the 

 Depression, and of Profitable Readjustments 

 OF Farming Methods. 



The evidence and the reports of Assistant Com- 

 missioners give many instances of successful farming 

 during the period of depression in all parts of the 

 country, even in those counties where depression has 

 been most acute, and on the old lines of farming. From 

 every county there are striking illustrations of what 

 results may be obtained by more economic methods and 

 by changes of cultivation suited to the times. 



This class of evidence deserves careful consideration. 

 The signs of distress and the course of decline are more 

 obvious, and may be more easily and fully traced. The 

 indications of recovery or reconstruction are harder to 

 define, whether as to time or as to method. 



It is important to determine as far as possible whether 

 such instances of relative success are individual, whether 

 they are due wholly to special local advantages or 

 circumstances, whether they merely indicate a stage of 

 endurance or resistance, which really means that 

 resources got together in better times are being drawn 

 upon, o^ whether there is any true economic readjust- 

 ment from which continued success is to be anticipated. 

 And, lastly, it is of the utmost importance to ascertain 

 the conditions, the presence or absence of which is found 

 to accompany such cases of doing well in bad times. A 

 selection of instances from the evidence is appended. 



Taking first cases of farming on existing lines and 

 in the most depressed districts, Essex itself furnishes 

 several striking instances. 



