THE STATE AS FARMER 57 



it hardly matters by what name we call it — 

 which is absolutely necessary in the tillage 

 and management of the soil, if we desire to 

 walk humbly by the side of Nature as her 

 children. And it is reassuring to the ordinary 

 farmer to know that if he will, without undue 

 cynicism, follow the advice of those who in 

 marvellous fashion have tracked, and are 

 tracking, these terrible plagues to their lairs, 

 the various preventives and cures are often 

 very simple, and are reduced in many 

 directions to cleanliness and fresh air and 

 free space. But, who among us can look 

 upon such a scourge as fluke without awe 

 and a desire to work together shoulder to 

 shoulder as members of one State towards 

 a new spirit and new methods in our farming 

 life ? 



The item of manures and fertilisers is in 

 itself sufficient to prove my contention to be 

 true — that British agriculture needs strong 

 scientific management and control such as 

 the State alone can give. The kindly earth 

 will always yield some surplus to its inhabi- 

 tants : the experiments of a negative character 



