68 THE STATE AS FARMER 



better ones that should show the greatest 

 increase, they will leave me a freer hand in 

 suggesting drastic measures of co-operation. 



At the lower end of the valley there will 

 probably be a town standing upon one of our 

 great trunk lines. In such a situation it can 

 distribute the products of the valley efficiently 

 and well, although it should be made clear 

 that it is not absolutely necessary to choose 

 such a position : it is only natural to do so 

 and to take advantage of the physical fact 

 that the trend in a valley is downwards from 

 the source of the river, and therefore the 

 heavier our produce the more we shall save 

 in motive power when collecting. Our railway 

 system will in the main guide us in our choice 

 of headquarters, and in some of our nobler 

 valleys we may have to divide the area into 

 two or more parts. Let us consider the 

 various operations that we have to carry out 

 at some centre or centres, and we shall then be 

 able to estimate better the arrangements to be 

 made. The collecting of milk involves speed 

 and punctuality as well as the most up-to-date 

 arrangements for preserving sweetness and 

 quality. The surplus involves butter and 



